


Two Worlds Apart

by Biiiibs



Category: NU'EST
Genre: A handsome baby, Alternate Universe - Office, Boss/Employee Relationship, But he's a handsome asshole, Dongho is baby, Enemies to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Minhyun is an asshole, Other Additional Characters May Be Added, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Rating May Change, but still a baby, who can kill you with his thighs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-01-31 14:44:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 77,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21447913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biiiibs/pseuds/Biiiibs
Summary: He hates his job. He really fucking hates it.
Relationships: Hwang Minhyun/Kang Dongho | Baekho
Comments: 521
Kudos: 648





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first attempt at writing for this paring, even though I've been a supporter for _way_ too long.
> 
> I’d like to thank everyone who endured my (respectful) (lol) roasting about getting updates on your stories (you know who you are uwu) when I could be writing myself. You are the reason I was finally brave enough to try.
> 
> And a huge thank you to my fiancée who hears me complain about this story constantly and gives me brilliant plot ideas. ily, bb! Oh, and happy 7 years to us! <3
> 
> Edit: This is now beta-ed by Akane (akanemnida), the baekmin fairy! You’re truly the mvp uwu  
Edit 2: Thanks to the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang, this story now has a beautiful cover art ;_; <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amazing Akane is now beta-ing this story. Everyone say "thank you, fairy!" <3

He hates his job. He really fucking hates it.

Actually, no, he doesn’t. That’s an exaggeration.

He just feels like all the happiness in the world ceases to exist when his boss calls him from his desk to demand his presence in his office immediately. Which ends up happening way too many times throughout the day.

All the time, all day long.

It’s like his boss can’t live without him.

_Haha, yeah, right._

“Ya, Minki, he’s calling me in his office, probably to do something stupid for him _again_, for the love of god, please save me!” Dongho whispers frantically over his cubicle to his co-worker and long-time friend (questionable) from college.

“Not my problem.” Minki’s eyes don’t move off his computer screen while he keeps on typing the end of the year report that he has to hand over to his boss soon. “I told you to not get this job. He’s a workaholic with no personal life and he makes all his employees his slaves. I’m only here because I’m under Aron.” He shrugs while Dongho moans pitifully, letting his body fall back in his chair.

“I can’t even finish my report because he calls for me all the time and then he’s gonna yell at me and make me stay after hours to finish it. It’s so fucking unfair.”

Minki ignores his friend while Dongho keeps on whining about his sad, sorry life.

His phone starts ringing again, and he just knows he took too long to go over to his boss’ office.

He takes a deep breath, ignores the ringing—while simultaneously risking his neck for his insubordination—and goes to face his bitchass of a boss.

What did he do to deserve this?

* * *

“What took you so long?” His boss asks as soon as Dongho gets in, clearly annoyed for being kept waiting, eyes going over a few papers on his desk and basically ignoring his presence.

“I was finishing the report you asked, sir—”

“I don’t want to hear any excuses, Kang.” He finally looks up at Dongho and his eyes are razor sharp, a no-nonsense tone in his voice. “When I ask for you, I’m not really asking. Do you understand? Or is there anything more important in this job than attending to me?” He raises one eyebrow slightly and if he weren’t so damn handsome, Dongho would probably punch him, him being his boss notwithstanding.

“I’m sorry, sir,'' is all he says instead of throttling him like he really wants to.

His boss seems to take that as a good enough response, but his face remains impassive.

“Here, get these papers and go over them. I think the numbers are all wrong and I know you’re the best at catching mistakes like these.” He gathers the papers all over his desk and hands them over to Dongho, who looks a little bit dazed.

Did he just hear a compliment from his boss? Directed at him?

What in the world?

“Hm, of course.” Dongho says, a little bit unsure. “Anything else, sir?”

Hwang Minhyun smiles, and he looks so handsome right then that Dongho barely registers what he says next.

“I need that for today.”

* * *

He fucking hates his job. He really fucking hates it.

And most of all, he hates his boss. He hates Hwang Minhyun and his stupid handsome face.

It’s already 10pm and he lost count of how many times he has been overworked in the past year since he started working for him.

The guy was ruthless, a literal workaholic who lived for his job, and maybe that’s why he’s the CFO of a big company like this at such a young age. Or maybe it’s just because his father is the founder and CEO, but he doesn’t care.

What matters to Dongho, though, is that Hwang Minhyun is probably the reincarnation of Satan himself, probably hates him, and has made it his goal to make Dongho’s life a living hell, never mind what Minki said about him doing this to all the people who work under him.

Hwang Minhyun hates him and that’s why he makes him work ungodly hours to meet his absurd deadlines.

And it doesn’t matter that he’s still working as well, looking over at Dongho’s desk through the open blinds of his glass wall office from time to time, like he’s checking to make sure Dongho is still there being his slave.

Most of the lights are already out in the big open space where all the office cubicles stand, and only Dongho’s computer screen illuminates his small workstation, which is (in)conveniently placed right next to Minhyun’s office.

He hears his stomach rumbling and suddenly remembers he had lunch a whole nine hours ago. Sighing, he gets up and heads to his boss’ office door, which is already open.

“Excuse me, sir. Is it okay if I go down to grab something to eat at the convenience store across the street? I’m almost done with the papers, I’m just really hun—”

He stops talking when he hears the ding of the elevator indicating someone has just come up.

A guy holding a bag in one hand and a helmet under his arm comes out and walks in their direction. “Delivery to Hwang Minhyun?” He says reading from a note order, looking first at Dongho who is next to him, then at Minhyun, expectantly.

“That would be me,” Minhyun says, getting up from his chair with a credit card in hand.

He pays for the food and watches the delivery guy go, turning back to look at Dongho like that was an absolutely normal occurrence in their daily lives at the office.

“I thought you would be hungry,” he states simply as an answer to Dongho’s unspoken question.

Dongho is still looking a little lost by his door, staring at his boss like he had just grown a second head in the past minute.

“What,” he says, incoherently.

Minhyun looks over at him like he’s stupid. “Food, Dongho. Eat?” He replies slowly and gestures with his hand like he’s eating from chopsticks. “Good?”

The other’s condescending tone is what wakes Dongho up out of his stupor and he doesn’t notice his boss just called him by his first name.

He rolls his eyes internally and grumbles, “Sorry for being taken aback,” hoping that his boss doesn’t hear him.

If he does, he doesn’t mention it. The taller man continues opening the food boxes on the small coffee table at the center of his office, which is surrounded on both sides by comfortable looking couches; this was where he usually has small meetings with investors. The smell of the food almost makes Dongho drool.

“This smells amazing,” he says before he can stop himself. He probably imagines the small smile on his boss’ lips.

He’s so hungry he’s probably seeing things.

“Help yourself,” Minhyun says before turning around and going back to his desk.

“You’re not gonna eat?” Dongho asks informally, yet again surprised by the other man leaving just like that, but he catches himself quickly. “Sir.”

Minhyun looks at him, one eyebrow raised, already sitting back on his chair. “I’m not hungry,” he says, while continuing to watch Dongho, who stands awkwardly in the middle of the room, hesitating before grabbing the chopsticks placed on the table next to all that food .

He’d never even came close to those couches before, and now he’ll have to sit down and eat in front of his boss while he’s there watching, just like an impromptu mukbang?

The taller man notices how uncomfortable he looks and stops staring, turning to face his computer screen and fixing his impeccable suit jacket.

“It’s too much for just one person…” Dongho mumbles and immediately regrets it. What? Is he really asking his boss to sit down and eat with him? Is he out of his mind?

“I thought that was the usual amount you eat.” Now already back at his previously-interrupted report reviewing, Minhyun doesn’t even turn to look at him.

Dongho opens and closes his mouth like a dying fish and stops looking at his boss to stare mutely at the food getting cold on the table.

_Does he despise me so much he’s now picking on my appearance?_

Enraged, the shorter guy stands up without taking his eyes off the food but he’s only seeing red at the moment.

“I lost my appetite. I’m going back to my desk to finish with the papers. Excuse me.”

He doesn’t wait to be dismissed and completely misses the dumbfounded look on the CFO’s face, who can’t even think of anything to say before the shorter guy leaves his office.

Dongho is so angry he doesn’t realize he’s maybe making a scene but who cares, he can probably sue that guy for workplace harassment, right? He doesn’t really have to take his shit; he should get up and just leave this asshole to do all his reviewing by himse—

He suddenly looks up and halts his train of thoughts when his cubicle gets shadowed by a figure standing behind him.

He stares at his boss for a second before quickly standing up and respectfully bowing down while mentally kicking himself. _Leaving your job, heh?_

Before he can say anything, his superior objects, “I can’t have you passing out at work and then get a lawsuit for starving you.” That makes Dongho internally rage even more. He opens his mouth to speak but gets interrupted once again. “Can you please eat the food I bought for you?”

Dongho stands there speechless, staring at his boss’ beautiful eyes for the second that time night, completely startled. The staring contest continues for so long Minhyun’s usually impassive expression starts to get a little uncomfortable, so he continues once again. “You can bring the food here, if you want.”

That makes Dongho finally give him a slight nod, waiting for him to lead the way back to his office.

He actually considers staying since the other man decided to be somewhat polite, but the bitter taste of possibly being made fun of still remains in his mouth, so he just takes small portions of the food back to his cubicle to finally, _finally_, finish reviewing his papers.

Minhyun’s eyes silently accompany the other back to his workplace.

* * *

Dongho works for two more hours before he finishes what he assumes is a good job and gets up to go get the reviewed papers at the printer but stops short because of what he sees.

Hwang Minhyun is sleeping on one of his couches.

The guy probably forgot to close his blinds but that doesn’t explain why he’s sleeping in his office instead of going home.

_Does he do that often?_

Slowly, Dongho makes his way inside his superior’s workplace to check if he’s really sleeping. Maybe he passed out from exhaustion, who knows. That, at least, is how Dongho’s sees the end of _his_ day.

But no, he really is sleeping.

He doesn’t look all that frightening like that. He actually looks really soft and approachable.

Dongho notices that Minhyun had taken off his jacket before lying down, so he grabs the garment and covers his boss’ surprisingly slim body with it in fear of him getting cold if he really intends on spending the night there.

He should probably wake Minhyun up, but he’s honestly not looking forward to the awkwardness of witnessing his boss getting his bearings after waking up nor the silence that will soon follow.

He never claimed to be a brave man, and no one is there to judge him for it.

So, he simply gets the papers from the printer and leaves them neatly on Minhyun’s desk before doing the courtesy of partially turning off the lights before leaving for the night.

* * *

It’s ass o’clock and, apparently, his alarm clock is trying to knock him into submission by ringing at him insistently. He must have been asleep for only two hours at most, his alarm should _not_ be ringing yet.

_Yet_, it is.

Dongho raises his arm without moving the rest of body to silence his alarm but something about the ringing finally catches his attention.

It’s not his alarm. Someone is actually calling him.

Swearing under his breath, he turns around to grabs his phone, first checking the time—_5:34 in the morning, what the actual fuck_—and then checking who the asshole calling him at this godforsaken hour is.

Of course it’s Hwang Minhyun. Why is he even surprised?

“Hello, sir,” he croaks, voice unused and heavy with sleep.

“Kang, I need you at the office in half an hour.” Minhyun’s voice is clipped and he sounds fresh and _awake_. Damn him.

Dongho sits up immediately, hair wild and dried spit on his cheek.

“Sir, I—I live too far, I’m still at home.”

“I’ll send my driver to get you. Just make yourself presentable.” His superior doesn’t wait for a reply before hanging up.

Dongho has no time to actually think. _Did his boss really just say he’s sending his personal driver to get him to work?_ He simply gets up and goes to make himself look presentable for his asshole of a boss.

* * *

Dongho arrives at the office ten minutes late because Seoul traffic is a bitch and unfortunately, he can’t control this aspect of his life, so you’d think his superior would go easy on him, right?

Wrong.

“You’re late.” Minhyun’s voice drips with disappointment, but he’s looking so pristine and perfect in his sharp black suit Dongho can maybe excuse his assholeness this early in the morning.

“I’m sorry, sir. Did you need me?”

Minhyun looks up at him like he’s stupid for asking such question and motions for him to come sit on one of the chairs facing his desk.

Dongho only hesitates for a second before approaching him. Is he in trouble? Oh fuck, he is, isn’t he? He left his boss sleeping on his couch and even dared to cover him up with the guy’s own jacket, he’s so getting fired—wait, but he’s not even wearing the same suit as last night—

“I’m going on a business trip and I need you to accompany me as my secretary.”

Dongho is honestly too speechless to have any sort of reaction. He keeps on staring at his boss, and that sounds like the running theme but _what the fuck has been going on lately?_, mouth open but not saying anything.

Minhyun takes upon himself to continue before Dongho can say anything, assuming his silence as a refusal. “I’m offering you a promotion and a raise. Are you not gonna take it?”

“I’m taking it!” _Am I taking it? What the fuck, why am I taking it?!_

Minhyun nods approvingly and immediately gives him a few papers. “I need you to rearrange some of my meetings for next week according to my new schedule —Yena is going to let you access and edit it—so make a few phone calls and come up with a decent excuse for rescheduling. I don’t like to let my business partners down, as you may know. Also, I need Aron and Jonghyun’s signatures on these papers. Make sure they sign them; I don’t take no for an answer.”

Still dazed, Dongho only accepts the papers but remains sitting down.

Minhyun looks at him expectantly, like he’s reconsidering offering him the job, until he remembers to give another detail about this new set up.

“Oh, yes. We are leaving tomorrow. Pack lightly.” He looks Dongho up and down and frowns a little. “You do have smarter suits, right?”

He may have made a mistake there, huh.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also beta-ed now by the wonderful Akane <3  
Cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

Dongho leaves Minhyun’s office, still a little dazed after everything that had just happened.

Is he really Minhyun’s secretary now?

Wasn’t his life already difficult enough as his distant subordinate?

Does he have a _death wish_?

He sits down on his chair and stays like that, motionless and maybe a little dead inside, for so long. Minki arrives at the office and notices him still in that same position, facing his computer screen with a lost look on his face and Minhyun’s papers still in his hands.

“Do I even wanna know?” Minki asks cautiously, sitting down on his own chair and sliding closer to Dongho, showing some sort of empathy for his friend's sanity, which is a novelty, if Dongho says so himself.

Finally looking up, but still not looking much better, Dongho distractedly hands Minki some of the papers he had just received from Minhyun. “Minki, please help me get Aron-ssi’s signature? I… I have to call so many people and reschedule most of Hwang’s meetings—”

“What are you talking about?” Minki laughs incredulously but still gets the papers from his friend’s outstretched hand. “Are you his secretary now?” He scoffs.

Dongho doesn’t respond immediately, but he can’t hide his wince fast enough and that sets Minki off.

“Are you out of your mind?! How did this happen?! I was only out for the night, Dongho!”

Minki’s voice gets increasingly louder as he speaks, and Dongho has to quickly shush him, worried his boss might hear them.

“I don’t know, okay?” He whispers loudly, looking over his shoulder to check if Minhyun is looking their way. With his cubicle so close to his boss’ office, he wouldn’t be surprised if the CFO could hear everything they say. “He called me this morning and asked me to come in early and now—now I’m his secretary and leaving on a business trip with him tomorrow?” He sounds uncertain even to himself and immediately winces at Minki’s even louder shriek.

“A business trip! How stupid can you get, Kang Dongho?” Minki doesn’t give him the courtesy of lowering his voice down and Dongho is certain Minhyun is looking their way by now. “Do you like being his personal slave?”

“Do you want me to lose my job?” The now secretary says between his gritted teeth.

“Well, _don’t_ you?” Minki shoots right back but is interrupted by none other than Hwang Minhyun himself.

“Don’t you two have more important tasks than to chitchat during office hours?”

His voice is clipped and cold and Dongho wants to either die or punch Minhyun’s face. Maybe both. He didn’t even have breakfast yet, for god’s sake.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Dongho and Minki say in unison, and thankfully his boss ignores how disdainful his friend sounded.

Minhyun doesn’t wait around to see if they will, in fact, start working, but he does give Dongho a cold look before returning to his office.

Sighing heavily, Dongho decides it’s time to begin his new tasks as the devil’s secretary, and if that means no coffee for now, so be it.

* * *

Dongho tries to finish all his tasks for the day as fast as he can so he can try and beg Minhyun to let him go back to his place a bit earlier with the excuse of packing, when he’s actually thinking of stopping by some department store to get a new suit for this trip.

He's lucky that even while still bitching about Dongho’s new predicament, Minki helps him complete his tasks and manages to get Aron’s signature without much trouble.

Why can’t he have a boss like that?

At 5 pm, he gathers his stuff and heads to his boss’ office, knocking on his glass door after double checking if he’s busy on the phone or if he's in a meeting.

Minhyun motions for him to come in with a nod.

Dongho bows down respectfully before starting. “Excuse me, sir. I just finished everything you requested this morning. I updated your schedule with the new dates for the meetings I rearranged according to your availability, although Mr. Park wishes to speak to you directly about the contract Jonghyun-ssi is checking before your appointment with them on the 19th, but I pointed everything out in the email I just sent you." Dongho takes a fortifying breath before continuing. "So I’d like to ask if I can leave a bit earlier to prepare for the trip tomorrow.”

“No.”

“Thank you, si—What?” Before he can stop himself, he looks his boss in the eyes, completely blown away by the unexpected answer. Dongho even came in earlier today!

Minhyun slightly raises an eyebrow but the rest of his face remains closed off. “Do I need to repeat myself? I need my secretary to stay in the office for as long as I’m working. What gave you the impression that you could leave early like that?”

Dongho’s hands start closing into fists and he has to forcefully shake himself out of it. “It was thoughtless of me to assume so, sir. That won’t happen again.”

Minhyun seems appeased so he ignores Dongho’s posture. “I need you to update our hotel reservations for this entire trip. Right now, they're all booked under my last secretary’s name, so change them to yours. Tokyo is our first stop so, obviously, everything is already taken care of, but we are only staying there for a day. Confirm all our other reservations and check if they’re prepared to receive us.”

With that, Dongho is dismissed and he sulks all the way back to his desk, maybe just a little bit dead inside.

It’s only day one as Minhyun’s secretary and he already wants to give up.

* * *

Minhyun finally leaves the office at 9 o’clock and Dongho is ready to rip his hair out.

He’s so tired and hungry he could probably curl up under his desk and die with no regrets.

He waits for ten more minutes before getting up, grabbing his messenger bag, and leaving. While taking the elevator down, he removes his glasses and pockets them, resisting the urge to rest his body on the elevator wall. If he gives in to that, he will probably fall asleep in a second.

To hell with buying a new suit, he needs to _sleep_.

Dongho leaves the office building while rubbing his tired red eyes. At first, he doesn’t notice the expensive black car with tinted windows parked on the busy street in front of their company.

Distractedly, the bulky male continues on his path to the bus stop when he finally notices the black car now following him. He thinks he's just being paranoid, but he stops walking nonetheless when, suddenly, the window behind the driver's seat of the car slides open.

“Kang.” The secretary cannot believe his eyes when Hwang Minhyun’s admittedly handsome face appears from inside the car. “Get in.”

Dongho’s first reaction is to run back inside the building he just came out of, but who is he kidding? That guy’s family probably owns the entire block, he’d have to get out eventually.

He moves to the other side of the car and hesitantly gets inside to sit beside his boss who’s looking at his phone, typing away something that looks important which Dongho couldn’t give two fucks about right now.

“Hm, what is this about? Sir?” Dongho asks, annoyed at his boss for once again interrupting his plans for the night.

“I don’t trust that you actually have better clothes to wear and I can’t have you accompanying me looking like a slob.”

He side-eyes Dongho and looks him up and down again like he did this morning, and something clicks in Dongho’s mind at once.

“Oh no, you won’t.”

Minhyun finally turns his face to look at him, face impassive as always.

“What won’t I, Dongho?” He tilts his head slightly to the side and he'd look cute if it wasn't for how sharp his eyes still are. That makes Dongho realise what he just said, and he doesn't have a chance to notice that his boss just called him by his first name yet again.

“I—I—I mean, I do have them, sir. Better clothes, I mean. I’m not sure I’m getting this right, but I won’t accept your money,” Dongho ends firmly, but only after stuttering and sounding like an incoherent child.

Minhyun snorts.

“I can take it out of your payment, if you prefer.”

Dongho sputters before frowning and looking at his boss’ driver, who quietly started driving them somewhere Dongho was not informed of.

The rest of the drive is quiet while Minhyun works on his phone and Dongho thinks of all the places he could hide his boss’ body after his demise.

They arrive at their destination a few minutes later and Dongho notices that all the stores on that street are closed except for one which still has its lights on, the staff inside busy like they're waiting for someone important.

Someone important like Hwang Minhyun, apparently.

The clerk lady immediately rushes to open the door for them while Minhyun’s driver stays back in the car to wait for them.

Dongho awkwardly stands behind his boss while Minhyun asks the lady to bring their best suits for Dongho to try on. He looks around while they wait for the clerk to return, and Dongho notices some of the staff approaching them, offering Minhyun, and by association, Dongho, anything to drink and asking if they’d like to sit down.

The shorter man is so embarrassed. What the fuck did Minhyun think he was doing bringing him to this type of establishment? He doesn’t even want to take a look at the price tags on those expensive looking clothes.

“Sir, is this really necessary?” Dongho asks in a steady tone he’s proud of. One suit probably costs all of his month’s salary.

Minhyun looks hesitant for the first time since, well, _ever_, but he does look like maybe this wasn’t his best idea, which is saying something, if you ask Dongho.

“We are meeting important investors on this trip; I need you to look your best and to help me to the best of your abilities. I only wish for you to feel comfortable in the presence of people who could probably eat you alive if you slip up. A nice suit can boost one's confidence,” he says at once, like this is a very reasonable excuse for his actions.

Which it is, but Dongho is still confused.

“Why did you ask me to be your secretary?” Dongho jumps the chance to ask the question he’d been dying to ask. He needs answers. “You could have picked practically anyone, sir. Anyone actually prepared for this role. I'm still going to try my best but… Honestly, this doesn’t really sound like something you’d do.”

Dongho regrets saying as much when he catches the look on his boss’ face. “Are you questioning my judgment, Kang?”

“Not at all, sir,” Dongho rushes to answer. “I’m just confused, that's all.”

“Well, don’t be. If I chose you, it’s because I think you’re good enough for the job.”

Dongho takes the backhanded compliment silently while the store clerk arrives back with at least ten different suits for him to try on.

It’s going to be a long night.

* * *

None of the damn suits seem to fit him.

They're either too tight on his shoulders or too loose around his waist, and he’s starting to get annoyed, if not a bit embarrassed by all the hassle he’s making the store staff go through.

Minhyun had sat down a long time ago, apparently still working on his phone, and only looks up when Dongho comes out with yet another misfit suit.

“That looks awful,” his boss deadpans.

“I’m sorry not everyone can look like a runway model with endlessly long legs and slim body,” Dongho growls. “_Sir._”

Dongho doesn’t even try to hide the annoyance in his voice and Minhyun surprisingly lets him vent his frustrations.

He’s exhausted, he’s _hungry_—didn’t this asshole just yesterday say he shouldn't starve?—he woke up at ass o’clock because of this very same asshole and he’s been trying on suits for the past hour, with no luck.

He starts opening the buttons on his dress shirt while still complaining. “If we had gone to a department store at least, I’m sure we would’ve found something a long time ago. Clearly nothing in this store will fit me, I’m _not_ supermodel material. Yeah, yeah, my shoulders are too wide, my legs are too short, etcetera etcetera...”

Dongho looks up from his buttons to check on his boss who's been strangely quiet even during the worst of his outburst—certainly he noticed Dongho was talking about him and long legs and perfect body—and the secretary finds Minhyun intently staring at his dress shirt, his _open_ dress shirt, _at his exposed chest_, looking a little hypnotized by Dongho’s slim hips and toned chest.

What was Dongho thinking when he opened his shirt like that in the middle of the store?!

The shorter male’s ears start to heat up, but before his blush can reach his cheeks, or worse, his _chest_, he pretends to be unbothered by the awkward situation. They’re both guys, right? It shouldn’t be weird for them to see each other’s bare chest (even if one of them is still dressed and is currently the other’s boss).

Dongho finishes taking off his shirt then, sliding it off his shoulders and through his arms, catching the expensive garment before it falls on the floor. He stares at his boss expectantly, waiting for him to say something cutting about his words or how he looks.

When all Minhyun does is slowly raise his eyes to stare deep into his, Dongho nervously changes tactics and goes back inside the changing room, certain that his blush has finally reached his chest. He could feel Minhyun’s sharp eyes following him all the way back inside.

After the door is safely closed, Dongho rests his body heavily on it for a second, taking a deep breath and clutching the shirt tightly in his fist, trying to refrain himself from coming to any absurd conclusions. It’s late and he’s tired. That’s all.

He only imagined Minhyun looking at him like he was a whole meal.

He hears a knocking on the door behind him and it startles him into turning around and quickly opening the door, only to find the store clerk offering him another suit to try on.

He’s also only imagining the disappointment he feels at not finding Minhyun on the other side of the door.

Dongho looks over the lady’s shoulder but he can’t find Minhyun where he was previously sitting anymore.

He’s not disappointed. He’s not disappointed at all.

* * *

Dongho finally managed to find a good suit that fits him well enough.

No thanks to his boss, who, after that awkward interaction, had gone missing for half an hour and left Dongho to fend for himself in a store full of clothes he never thought he’d get to wear (Minki will be so jealous).

Minhyun, after having finally returned from wherever he had disappeared to, had gone back to his usual cold, distant, and asshole self, and only nodded mutely when Dongho announced his find.

The taller male asked the store staff for four (_four!_) more suits of the same design Dongho chose, all in sober colours, and arranged for them to be delivered at the office first thing in the morning.

Dongho was honestly too embarrassed to say anything, so he just remained quiet after that, hoping for the whole thing to be over quickly.

When they finally leave the store empty-handed for the day, Minhyun heads in the direction of his car but Dongho stops short, not seeing the need in accompanying his boss anymore.

“I can go home from here,” Dongho comments, still standing close to the storefront. Minhyun stops a few steps ahead after hearing his words, turning to look at his employee.

“Don’t be stupid, it’s late.”

Dongho frowns, annoyed by his boss’ rude response. “Thank you for the suits, sir.” He bows down respectfully before heading in the direction of the closest bus stop. He’s not really familiar with that neighbourhood but he’s sure he can find himself.

He feels a cold, strong hand close around his wrist, stopping him short. Dongho turns his head to see Minhyun behind him, the other's hand clutching his wrist tightly but still not hurting him.

The shorter male’s mouth hangs open in an unflattering way and he unthinkingly stares at his boss’ eyes from such a short distance. His eyes are really pretty up close like this.

Minhyun recovers quickly, letting go of his arm and looking away, covering his mouth to feign a cough.

“It’s late.” Minhyun repeats his statement, sans the 'stupid' part. “Let me drive you home.”

Dongho is still too shocked to move, mind running a mile a minute, and he thinks that maybe his boss is a good person after all.

Until he continues.

“I can’t leave you like this and get sued if anything happens to you.”

Dongho almost goes blind trying not to roll his eyes too hard. _God, his boss is a real piece of shit._

“Fine,” he snaps but goes back inside Minhyun's car, sitting down on the back seat. He doesn't catch his boss' fond smile at his retreating back.

The ride is, once again, silent, this time even more awkward, with only Dongho giving directions to his tiny apartment address.

After a few minutes, the driver stops in front of a small ramen restaurant, as per Dongho’s request.

“Thank you for the lift, sir.” He bows his head while starting to leave the car.

“You live here?” Minhyun’s voice sounds distasteful.

“I live at the apartment over the restaurant, yes,” Dongho snaps. “Good night, sir.”

He finally leaves the car, going around the vehicle only to find his boss outside, waiting for him at the curb, frowning.

“Is it safe here?”

Dongho can’t keep himself from rolling his eyes this time. “That’s my friend’s family restaurant. Yes, it’s safe here. Anything else, sir?” he asks pointedly, looking at his phone to check the time. _11:43 pm, fuck_.

Minhyun finally composes himself and looks at Dongho impassively.

“Yes. I need you at the office at 7 o’clock. Don’t be late.”

With that, he goes back inside his car, leaving Dongho alone in the middle of the empty street, more confused than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments. I was so scared of posting this story, so thank you for encouraging me to continue uwu baekminist unite lol
> 
> Comments and kudos are still much much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Akane (akanemnida) for bravely beta-ing this chapter! You did an amazing job and probably saved this chapter from being a complete and total mess. You're truly the baekmin mvp <3333
> 
> Cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

Dongho arrives at the office at 7 o’clock sharp the next day.

He still had to pack after Minhyun dropped him off after their little shopping spree, and he had to consider what he should bring for this trip aside from his new suits. He knew that they were travelling to a few different countries in the span of a week, so he thought to bring a few basic items, such as toiletries and one fresh change of clothes for each country they were going to visit (although he was sure Minhyun wouldn't want to be caught dead next to Dongho wearing his usual day-to-day clothes).

The good little slave that he was, Dongho also decided to bring along his laptop in case his asshole boss decided he needed Dongho to any reviewing for him.

As if taking Dongho on this impromptu business trip wasn’t already bad enough.

On top of that, Dongho woke up so early in fear of being late that he ended up sleeping for less than 4 hours, but that was fine. He got ready in record time, and, despite not having had much sleep the night before, he looks good enough. He’s not wearing one of his new suits yet, but still. He looks alright and he hopes he doesn’t hear a thing from Minhyun and his high standards for office attire.

As soon as he gets to his cubicle, Dongho notices a large gift box wrapped with a big red ribbon, and he’s so embarrassed he frantically shoves the offending box under his desk and gets under it himself. It’s a tight fit: the box, Dongho’s large body, and his suitcase, but he makes do.

Before anyone can witness this absurd situation, Dongho quickly rips off the extravagant wrapping and throws the box open to see all four of his new suits, carefully folded and smelling like some expensive perfume.

His face is flaming hot and he thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, that is until he hears the wheels of the chair in the cubicle next to his sliding closer to him, with Minki’s head suddenly appearing in his line of sight. Murphy really never sleeps.

“Is that Armani?” Minki asks skeptically.

“I… think so?” Dongho shrugs, deciding to ignore how awkward this is, acting normal even if the tips of his ears are burning red.

Minki raises an eyebrow and keeps going with his little inquisition, much to Dongho’s despair, “Where did you get the money to buy that?”

Dongho hesitates before sighing, “Minhyun got these for me.”

“He _what_ now?” Minki sounds scandalized and the new CFO secretary can only wince.

“I know it sounds weird and I told him he didn’t need to but he insisted! Said I needed better clothes to accompany him or something like that—please, don’t make this any weirder than it already is!”

“It’s already weird enough, Dongho! Is he your sugar daddy now?” Minki hisses and Dongho can’t resist the urge to facepalm.

“Oh my god,” he moans into his hands, his new suits a mess all around him on the floor.

Minki takes pity on him but he still looks skeptical. “This is really weird, I hope you know that.” He backs off, sliding his chair back to his own cubicle, leaving Dongho to deal with this mess by himself.

* * *

Despite Minki’s previous statements, after taking a better look at Dongho’s new gifts, he makes his friend change into the navy blue suit ‘if he really wants to impress his new daddy.’

Despite Dongho’s promise to never talk to his friend _ever again_, he does change into the navy blue suit.

Dongho doesn’t really care about clothes all that much. He’s more of a comfortable clothes kind of guy, but he still has to wear suits at the office and that’s fine by him. He just doesn’t see the appeal of a good fitted suit like Minki—or, hell, Minhyun—but he’s ready to give that one to them.

Because he was so annoyed the night before, he didn’t get to fully appreciate himself in the mirror while trying all those clothes on. Now, in the dim light of the office bathroom, he thinks his shoulders look pretty nice in clothes that actually fit him.

(Although, if he’s honest with himself, he’d still trade this for his sweats anytime.)

He only gets to meet Minhyun when it’s time for them to leave for the airport. Dongho knew his boss had one last important meeting this morning, according to his schedule which Dongho now had full access to, and his previous secretary (who had, unsurprisingly, quit) was accompanying him to this last appointment, so Dongho could finally get a headstart on his end-of-the-year report and be able to check one more time if their plans for the first stop of the trip were still confirmed.

If Dongho was being honest, he was actually excited for this trip. He never got to do things like this, what with his accounting major and all, so he was looking forward to this new experience.

What he _wasn’t_ looking forward to was having to deal with his boss’ bitchy mood the whole trip. And it hasn’t even started yet.

“Start reviewing these. I need them checked before we get to Japan,” Minhyun snaps at Dongho in place of a ‘good morning’, entering the car while his driver holds the door open for him.

“Bad meeting?” Dongho accepts the papers and tries to sound pleasant when, in reality, he wants to chew his boss’ big head off.

With both Dongho and him already inside the car, Minhyun looks at him sideways. “You could say so. My previous secretary was a complete imbecile.”

Dongho growls internally, already looking over the papers Minhyun handed him to clear his mind.

“That’s unfortunate,” he deadpans, and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Minhyun.

“I’m assuming you won’t be any better.”

The new secretary takes a deep, steadying breath and turns his face to stare directly at his boss’ sharp eyes, “You were the one who offered me this position.” His voice is hard and, as always, he momentarily forgets his place.

Minhyun stares at him for another second before looking away, and Dongho notices how the corner of his boss’ mouth raises slightly. “We have this whole trip for you to prove me wrong, then.”

Dongho’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Is Minhyun actually smiling now? “Why do I have to prove shit to you when you were the one who wanted me here in the first place?”

“Talk to me like that in front of any of my business partners and you’re fired.”

That shuts Dongho up, who stays quiet for a while, staring at his papers without actually doing any reading.

The hard truth is that Dongho actually _needs_ this job. After his father’s passing a few years ago, he and his brother took it upon themselves to help support their mother back in Jeju. On top of that, his unfortunate predicament forced him to take student loans to help finance his studies, which he still has to finish settling. Right now, he can’t be really picky about his job or jeopardise his position just because he can’t take a few rude comments from his boss.

“I’m sorry. I was out of place.”

“I’m sure you’re going to learn your place soon.”

Dongho is too angry to look up but he thinks it’s best if he doesn’t face his boss right now. He simply bows his head and remains quiet for the rest of the car ride to the airport, not getting much of his requested assignment done.

* * *

When they finally arrive in Haneda, Dongho silently hands over the papers he was asked to revise. Mostly, the article was in order, he just pointed out a few minor mistakes in the last pages.

Minhyun doesn’t check those immediately, too busy making Dongho get his suitcase for him and making him find their designated driver.

His boss remained quiet the whole flight as well, too absorbed on his phone, clearly still working, and that was fine by him. Whenever Minhyun wasn’t talking or demanding his presence, he was able to do his work without much trouble.

“This suit looks good on you,” Minhyun suddenly says when they’re already inside the luxurious car taking them to their hotel, and the commentary takes Dongho completely off guard.

“Uh. Thanks. Thank you.”

“Choi was right to make you change your suit. This one is much better for the meeting we are having today.” His boss continues while checking his phone once again, probably waiting for a reply from their Seoul office.

Dongho’s mouth hangs open inelegantly. “How do you—Are you _stalking_ me?!”

Minhyun’s carefully controlled expression finally cracks, and what shows on his face now is definitely not good. “Your desk is right by my office, Kang. What are you implying by that?”

The secretary sputters, “I didn’t mean—”

“What _did_ you mean then?” Minhyun acidly cuts him off.

Dongho is too lost for words to come up with a good explanation that is not the complete and honest truth.

“I meant—I meant that you caught me by surprise when you said that and I had no idea you were inside your office when Minki—Oh no.” Dongho’s eyes grow the size of his head due to his sudden realization.

If Minhyun heard his and Minki’s bickering about the suit earlier, then certainly he heard—

Dongho sneaks a sideways look at his boss and catches him full on smirking in his direction.

Choi Minki is a _dead man_.

* * *

The rest of their car drive was excruciatingly awkward, with Minhyun keeping his smirking face for much longer than strictly necessary while he amusedly watched Dongho try not to die out of pure embarrassment.

After getting to their destination, Dongho takes care of the check-in and requests their concierge to have the bellboy help them carry their suitcases to their rooms while Minhyun is (thankfully) busy on his phone.

Dongho hands Minhyun his room key when they get to his door, and the shorter male steps back to watch Minhyun tip the bellboy, who leaves all their luggage inside Minhyun’s room and leaves. It’s okay, Dongho can carry his shit to his own room and his cheap ass won’t have to tip anyone that way.

Because of that, the secretary has to go inside his boss’ room to get his suitcase, and he takes the opportunity to have a quick look around. The room is really big, even bigger than his one-bedroom apartment above his friend’s family restaurant back in Seoul. The front door leads to a spacious living area, with two comfortable looking couches, a coffee table, a TV screen; at the back, a dining area with all the silverware tidily arranged over the fancy tablecloth covering the oak table facing the big balcony. On the left, there’s a closed door behind which Dongho assumes is the ensuite.

He doesn’t notice how long he looks around until Minhyun coughs a little.

“Meet me back here in half an hour. I just sent you an e-mail with a few more papers I need you to revise for our meeting in Jakarta. You can hand those back to me tomorrow before our flight.”

Dongho can barely resist a groan. “Of course. Excuse me.”

Honestly, Dongho still can’t really look him in the face after that fiasco on the ride to the hotel, so he’s more than happy to just leave even if that means more work for him.

“Don’t forget to give my thanks to Choi.”

Dongho doesn’t have to look back to know that his boss is looking rather amused by the whole thing.

He just groans loudly and leaves.

* * *

The meeting is a disaster.

At least, Dongho thinks it is.

He feels so underprepared even if, by some miracle, he has been coming up with good enough answers from his revised article when requested by Minhyun. He has also been taking notes of everything they are discussing, and his boss seems content enough, so maybe it isn’t that bad.

Or actually, it wouldn’t be that bad if one of Minhyun’s business associates stopped interrupting Dongho whenever he tried to argue a point he saw unfavorable to Minhyun’s company. The numbers weren’t matching and Dongho felt like he had to say something, even if it wasn’t his place to do so.

“Dongho-gun, why don’t you go fetch us a cup of coffee?” the other businessman asks in broken Korean with a condescending smile, like Dongho hasn’t been following the whole meeting in Japanese until now.

Dongho feels his blood boil, but remembers his chat with Minhyun back in Seoul and thinks this is exactly what his boss was talking about when he said the secretary would learn his place soon.

“Of course,” he says between gritted teeth, forcing a smile and standing to bow respectfully, but is stopped by Minhyun, who grabs his arm and makes him sit back down.

“Dongho is not your butler, Akimoto-sama,” Minhyun responds comfortably in Japanese, but his small smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Well, he’s ruining the meeting with his uncalled-for comments,” the older man snaps, dropping all pleasantries.

“Oh?” Minhyun feigns confusion, glancing at Dongho with a glint in his eyes, then looking back at his business partner. “Why? Because he’s saying that your proposition is actually a scheme to make me lose money?”

Akimoto furrows his brows and Dongho feels like cackling at his deer-in-the-headlights expression. He definitely was _not_ expecting that from his younger associate.

“Are you gonna take _his_ word for that? A mere secretary?” the older man spits, and Minhyun has to hold Dongho’s arm yet again, sensing his secretary about to do something stupid.

“Dongho is one of my best employees, and he was hand picked for this position because he can catch loopholes like this and save me the trouble of suing you.”

Minhyun calmly gets up and lets go of Dongho’s arm, who, by now, has no strength in his admittedly thick thighs to get up even if he wanted to.

Did Hwang Minhyun actually just compliment him like that—no, actually _defend_ him like that against an old business partner?

Still sitting down, Dongho looks up at Minhyun who’s still facing Akimoto like he’s waiting for a reply that probably isn’t coming.

Minhyun takes upon himself to continue. “Well, send in a new proposal and I’ll have my team analyse it before I have to go through the trouble of flying all the way from Seoul for another fraud. Which reminds me, let’s meet in my Seoul office next time. Good day, Akimoto-sama.”

In retrospect, Dongho could have gotten hard right then witnessing Minhyun command the room like that, but it would have probably been highly inappropriate, so he’s thankful for his brain-to-body filter.

He numbly follows his boss out of the room instead and remains quiet until they reach their car and are riding back to their hotel.

“Did we fly all the way here just for that?” Dongho can’t help but ask.

“I knew he was planning something, I just didn’t know what,” his boss replies, like he wasn’t worried at all about signing a frauded contract.

The shorter man shakes his head. “Is there anything else I need to know for our next meetings?” he asks skeptically.

Minhyun doesn’t hide his smile this time and Dongho is shocked into silence. His boss faces him before replying.

“I see you finally know your place now.”

* * *

They arrive back at the hotel and Dongho is asked (bullied) to finish reviewing the papers for their next meetings, and he doesn’t complain much since he realized the importance of being well-prepared for a meeting with Hwang Minhyun.

He knows for a fact that Minhyun would never actually sign any kind of contract without having his team of lawyers run a full conflict check over it in case there are any unfair contract terms, but still, it looks like Minhyun is relying on him for something if he decided to have Dongho taking part in all of his meetings.

Either way, Dongho is actually eager to find out how useful his boss thinks he is. Even more so if his work is getting recognized, which is already saying something.

Maybe he’ll finally understand why he was offered this position in the first place.

* * *

got complimented by my bitchass boss today  
**Kang Dongho [9:55 PM]**

wdym  
**Choi Minki [9:55 PM]**

exactly what i said  
are you drunk  
**Kang Dongho [9:55 PM]**

is that why it’s raining buckets over here  
**Choi Minki [9:56 PM]**

offense taken  
i’m fucking efficient  
i’m just never able to meet my deadlines without having to ot bc he requests my presence all the fucking time  
**Kang Dongho [9:56 PM]**

is daddy missing you  
**Choi Minki [9:57 PM]**

I’M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU, CHOI MINKI  
**Kang Dongho [9:57 PM]**

ㅋㅋㅋ  
too bad you’re an ocean away, baby  
**Choi Minki [9:57 PM]**

can i even call you that tho?  
isn’t ‘baby dongho’ a hwang exclusive now?  
**Choi Minki [9:59 PM]**

dono?  
**Choi Minki [10:08 PM]**

* * *

Dongho wakes up early the next day out of his own accord. He’s going to enjoy this trip even if he has to wake up at dawn to escape his demanding boss just to have a little time for himself.

He doesn’t really have a plan so he eventually decides on taking an aimless walk.

He puts on his jogging pants and a sweatshirt over his sleeveless, not forgetting to cover his wild morning hair with a cap. He even foregoes a shower to get out as soon as possible before Minhyun senses his escape plan.

It’s a beautiful early winter morning and the sun is barely out, so it’s freezing outside and Dongho regrets not bringing his paddings. It’s ok, though. Dongho buries his hands in his sweatshirt pockets and faces the cold. Anything is better than staying locked up in his hotel room doing paperwork.

He stops at a few shops he passes by but he mostly window shops around the block, not daring to go much farther in case Minhyun decides to call him back immediately. He buys some snacks at the convenience store and a gift for Minki from the gift shop (not that his friend deserves anything after last night).

Dongho is actually feeling a bit better about his new predicament after his short morning walk. He’s feeling so much better, in fact, he decides to stop by the gym he discovered earlier on his way out of the hotel lobby.

He quickly starts on his usual workout routine after removing his sweatshirt.

An hour later, the secretary feels his phone vibrating inside his pocket and moans pitifully. He has been found out.

I need coffee.  
**Hwang Satan [6:47 AM]**

there’s a restaurant in the hotel. I hear the food is quite good  
**Kang Dongho [6:49 AM]**

Americano.  
From the small coffee shop across the street.  
**Hwang Satan [6:49 AM]**

You have 10 minutes.  
**Hwang Satan [6:50 AM]**

Dongho gapes at his phone a second too long and realizes he’s simply wasting time trying to reason with this asshole.

He forgets all about his sweatshirt and rushes back out of the hotel in his sleeveless and joggers to face the biting cold, praying for some miracle that he’ll be able to come back in less than ten minutes for his majesty.

Somehow, he stands outside Minhyun’s closed door 10 minutes and 30 seconds later, knocking on his door, still breathing heavily after running to and fro to attend to Minhyun’s absurd needs.

“You’re late,” Minhyun says as soon as he opens his door.

He looks regal in his sharp black suit, not a single hair out of place, already all set for the day.

Dongho certainly doesn’t notice this, though, nor does he stare at his boss.

That would have been inappropriate.

“I thought you didn’t drink coffee,” is Dongho’s sole response.

Minhyun looks surprised, though his expression barely changes. Dongho only catches it because, apparently, he’s getting good at picking up on Minhyun’s _very diverse_ set of facial expressions.

“Well, today I do.” He takes the cup from Dongho hands and finally notices his secretary’s attire. Silently, Minhyun stares Dongho down—or rather, _strips_ him down would be a more accurate description of the look he gives his employee.

Cluelessly, Dongho looks down at himself he realizes he’s all sweaty from his workout session and from running like a lunatic to get here in time, his skin all glistening, and maybe that’s why his boss has such an intense look on his face. Dongho surreptitiously tries to take a sniff at his armpits. Is he really that smelly?

Minhyun shakes his head and tries to cover his smile with a cough. “Is that what I bought you new clothes for?” He deadpans.

Dongho sputters indignantly. “Do _not_ say that around other people!”

“Why? Are you ashamed of having better clothes?” Minhyun takes a sip of his iced coffee through the paper straw, looking a hell of a lot more innocent than Dongho is willing to buy.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“I like taking care of my people.” Minhyun shrugs, before closing the door on his secretary’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, thank you so much for all the love and support (aron.mp3) 
> 
> you guys are great and i hope you keep enjoying this story!  
and if you'd like a more direct way to scream at me, come find me on twitter lol @ohminhyunnie uwu


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another huge thanks to Akane (akanemnida) for continuing to beta this work and for her constant support. You're wonderful. All remaining mistakes are mine!
> 
> Cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

Jakarta hasn’t been so bad thus far.

During their 12-hour flight, Dongho had worked on a few reports that Minhyun had finally seen as fit to share with his secretary for their next meeting. Minhyun had also been gracious enough to let him know there wouldn’t be any situation like the one in Japan and Dongho was thankful for that. If he had to confront anyone in English, he’d be in trouble.

It still didn’t hurt to be prepared if that was what Minhyun expected of him now. And he would be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to the new experience.

Aside from that, Dongho was aware that, yet again, he would be taking care of everything for his boss in this new stop, from his check-in to his transportation, like he was his babysitter instead of his secretary. Dongho was at least prepared for _that_.

It was much more difficult for him to communicate in English, but he had been making do so far. Dongho managed to get them to their hotel safely, and the secretary took the opportunity to reserve a room in one of the hotel facilities for their meeting the next day, as per Minhyun’s request.

Dongho had been pleasantly surprised when Minhyun received a call from his business partner asking him if it was possible to reschedule their meeting for the next day, so they ended up having a full free day. Or so Dongho thought.

He is resting in his own hotel room, dressed down to his sweatpants, lazily rereading the report he updated during their flight from Japan, when he hears a knock on his door.

Frowning, the bulky man gets up and walks barefoot to get the door, not knowing who it might be since he didn’t call for room service. As soon as he opens it, he’s unceremoniously pushed aside by his boss who walks in without waiting to be invited.

Dongho feels naked not only because he’s only in his sweatpants, but also because his room is a complete mess.

There are papers all over the unmade bed, with his laptop on top of his pillow displaying a random Youtube tab. His floor is littered with his discarded dirty clothes from that morning.

His room is considerably smaller than what he assumes his boss’ is, if it’s anything like the one Minhyun stayed back in Japan, and undoubtedly way messier, so Dongho doesn’t even have to look up to know his boss is looking around distastefully.

That’s why he misses the way Minhyun stares intently at him, taking notice of all the tattoos he didn’t get to really absorb the first time Dongho was half-naked in front of him.

“How do you live like this?” His boss sounds disgusted, finally looking away and noticing the chaos in his employee’s room.

“I wasn’t expecting any visitors,” Dongho replies monotonously, pretending everything is in order and that he isn’t trying to rush to at least pick up his mess off the floor.

“I can’t stay in a room like this.” Minhyun shakes his head like he’s deeply disappointed in his secretary’s house manners. “Get dressed and come to my room, we have to get ready for the meeting tomorrow.” His boss starts walking back to where he came from but stops short, his nose scrunching. “And go take a shower, for god’s sake.”

Dongho throws a pillow at the recently closed door, imagining it hitting his boss squarely on the back of his head.

* * *

Dongho dutifully takes a shower and takes his papers and laptop to his boss’ room.

Minhyun looks pleased to see his wet hair, so he lets his employee enter his room even though he’s wearing what looks like old baggy pants and a sweatshirt.

As he had predicted, his boss’ room is way more spacious than his own, and its disposition is much like the one he previously stayed at. There’s a dining area and a living space close to the big balcony and an open door that leads to the ensuite, which Dongho quickly notices looks impeccably tidy.

Dongho leaves his shoes by the door and Minhyun motions for Dongho to get comfortable in the living area, so he arranges his laptop over the coffee table and sits on the carpet floor.

“Where do you want to start, sir?”

Minhyun, wearing way more formal clothes, fixes his slacks and sits down in one of the armchairs facing his secretary. His dress shirt seems like it doesn’t have a crease on it.

“We are here basically to sign a contract. This project had already been discussed at length before you joined the team, but I still want you to run over everything with me so that you know exactly what we are doing.”

Dongho crosses his short legs under the coffee table, actually paying attention to his boss. “I already read all the reports and I’m aware of the project contract. What I don’t understand is why you intend on extending your business to Indonesia so soon? You’ve barely just breached the Chinese market.”

“Our breach in the Chinese market was very successful thanks to Aron-ssi’s team, but as much as our business in Japan is very solid, you may have noticed our Japanese partners aren’t really reliable. As of now, I’m selecting a team to move to Japan and take care of our affairs there.” He crosses his legs, looking straight at Dongho. “I don’t plan on signing anything Akimoto’s team would send us again. Our breach in the Indonesian market is to take his business here down.”

Dongho’s mouth hangs slightly open, looking at his boss in a new light. It’s not like he really knew Minhyun before, but he feels like he’s meeting a completely different person and it’s not in a bad way at all. The man is _vindictive_.

“Aren’t you worried he’ll come after you when he finds out?” Dongho asks cautiously.

Minhyun smirks.

“I hope he does.”

* * *

“So you’re saying you planned this all along?”

“Of course. What do you take me for, Kang?” Minhyun sounds slightly offended but his features remain impassive, and Dongho can’t help but laugh.

_Laugh_. He’s actually laughing in his boss’ presence.

Who would’ve thought?

“I don’t know. I didn’t know someone so young could know the market so well as to be so ruthless in taking other businesses down.” Dongho shrugs.

The secretary had stripped down to his sleeveless shirt a while ago, getting more comfortable as the conversation grew less stiff.

For the past hour or so, he’d been listening to Minhyun explain the various aspects of their business in different markets. He’s getting to know way more about their affairs in Korea and in the countries they visited so far in this little business trip, and even if Minhyun still sounds standoffish, it’s like he’s learning to trust Dongho little by little.

Deep down, Dongho finds that terrifying because he didn’t do much to earn this kind of trust.

“How do you think I got my position in Hwang Corps?” Minhyun reaches for the water bottle he left on the coffee table, unscrewing the cap without taking his eyes off Dongho. “And don’t tell me you think it’s because my father is the president. I might fire you.”

Dongho mimes zipping his mouth, purposely staying quiet just to annoy his boss. Dongho really is unafraid today.

Minhyun raises an eyebrow. “Good choice.”

Still sitting on the floor, the secretary pulls up his knees, resting his muscled arms over them, his back leaning on the vacant armchair. “So China…”

“It’s important to keep a close eye on our advances in the Chinese market. Aron should’ve accompanied me to this visit, since he was the one in charge of the whole project, but I brought you instead.”

Dongho is ready to reply when he takes in the last part of what Minhyun said. He closes his mouth, unsure of what to say.

“Why? Why did you bring me instead?”

“You’re to accompany me in all my schedules now. You’re my secretary and I want you to continue learning your place and what’s expected of you,” Minhyun says, finally taking a sip of his water bottle, but not before mumbling to himself, “and you’re much more pleasant to look at.”

Dongho barely catches what he says but when it sinks in, his eyes grow so large he’s probably straining his eyelids. He keeps on looking at Minhyun without really knowing how to reply to that, not knowing if his boss is pulling a prank on him because _why would he say that?_

Before the secretary can reply, his phone starts vibrating on the coffee table and the sudden noise breaks the moment, saving him from answering anything at all.

Dongho picks up the phone and immediately gets worried. “I’m sorry, sir, I need to get this.” When Minhyun’s expression doesn’t change, he insists. “It’s my mother.”

Minhyun finally nods and motions for him to go to the large balcony for privacy.

“Mom?” Dongho answers the phone, closing the French door between him and Minhyun, but his boss’ eyes still follow him attentively.

“No, it’s hyung.”

“Hyung? What are you doing with mom’s phone?” Dongho turns his back to the glass door, munching worriedly on his thumb’s fingernail.

“I had to take her to the hospital. I forgot my phone at home.”

“What?! What happened?”

“She felt—” The call cuts off and then comes back on. “—so I thought it was best if I brought her in.”

“Hyung, you’re cutting out, can you repeat?” Dongho frowns, blocking his other ear with his finger to try and hear his brother better.

“Wait a minute, I’m—the hospital—”

“Hyung? Hyung!”

“Dongho-ya, can you hear me now?” Dongho can finally hear his brother’s voice clearly so he heaves a sigh of relief.

“Yeah. What happened? Why is mom at the hospital?”

“She was feeling a bit of back pain. She worked until late last night with the tangerines because her client requested an early delivery and she wanted to meet the new deadline…” His brother sighs heavily. “And now we’re going to use the money for the hospital bill.”

Dongho crouches down, rubbing his face tiredly with his free hand. While he’s here (mostly) enjoying this trip, his mom is back home working her ass off for her sons’ education. He feels a bit sick.

“Is she okay, though?” Dongho mumbles, feeling his chest constrict. “I’ll send more money to help, hyung, I—I just got a promotion.”

“Congratulations, little brother.” He can hear the genuine surprise in his hyung’s voice and how pleased he is by the news. “I knew you were going to be able to conquer Seoul.” His brother laughs and Dongho feels his chest ease up a little. “Mom is okay, don’t worry. But don’t forget to come visit soon, punk.”

Dongho laughs lowly and stands up, rubbing his eyes once again.

“I will, hyung, I promise. I’ll go as soon as I can.”

The brothers say their goodbyes and Dongho takes a few deep breaths before going back inside his boss’ room, their last talk in the back of his mind at the moment.

He sits on his previous spot, crossing his legs, and only then notices the way Minhyun is looking at him.

“Yes?”

“Is everything… okay?” He sounds unmoved to Dongho’s ears.

The shorter man resists the urge to roll his eyes and to punch this asshole in the face. They were doing so well before his hyung’s call.

“Everything is fine.” The secretary replies dryly.

“That didn’t look fine to me.” He nods his head in the direction of the balcony.

“What do you care?”

Minhyun’s face hardens. “I’m still your boss, Kang.”

Dongho is fed up with this man’s bullshit. “You didn’t think of that when you said I’m nice to look at, did you?” He says scathingly while getting up to leave, but he’s stopped by Minhyun standing up and blocking his path. “_What?!_” Dongho growls.

“Do you want me to fire you?”

The shorter man laughs incredulously. “Are you too used to your little pawns doing everything you want that you don’t know when to stop?”

Minhyun’s face remains impassive but he still doesn’t back off or let the other man leave.

“I’m just worried, Dongho.” His boss finally relents and Dongho feels his face flaming in embarrassment, but he was _not_ wrong. This man is an asshole who’s not used to taking no for an answer.

“You have a weird way of showing that.” Dongho feels his shoulders loosen, the fighting stance leaving his body.

“Well?” Minhyun finally sits back down, expecting his secretary to do the same.

Dongho stares intently at him, forgetting for a moment who they are and how that man has complete control over his financial life. Why is it so hard to make sense out of his boss and his volatile actions?

Aside from being an overbearing bastard most of the time, Minhyun’s always been a mystery to Dongho and he has no idea what Minhyun’s real intentions are when one second he’s being welcoming, only to go back to being a nonsensical prick, and then back to being a solicitous boss.

Dongho will go crazy by the end of this trip, he’s sure of that at least.

Huffing quietly, the secretary sits on the vacant armchair this time, facing his boss.

“My mother is sick. She’s at the hospital.”

Minhyun nods in understanding. “Do you need anything?”

Dongho gets whiplash out of this man’s reactions. “Do I need—what?”

“Do you need anything?” He repeats, apparently trying to be practical.

“I’m not… sure what you mean but no, everything is okay, my brother is with her and I’m gonna send back some money to help. Everything is okay.” He repeats the last part more to himself so he can be reassured that everything will, in fact, be fine.

“I’m glad everything is taken care of, then,” his boss replies and Dongho believes him at last. “Do you want to take the rest of the day off?”

Dongho’s head shoots up to stare unblinkingly at him. “Do you mean it?”

“We can go have dinner.”

The shorter man laughs shortly but he feels his body going all hot and cold at once. What is this man playing at?

“Sure, we can go have dinner.”

Minhyun gives him a satisfied smile.

Dongho is lost.

* * *

After Dongho finishes blow drying his hair, he quickly applies some face cream Minki had gifted him last summer before grabbing his brown suede jacket to go meet Minhyun in his room.

He decided to dress comfortably in a pair of well fitted jeans and a simple white patterned dress shirt since he doesn’t really know what Minhyun meant when he said that they were going to get dinner.

Did he mean it as a date or just as a business dinner?

Dongho shakes his head. Why is he even mulling over this? Of course his boss meant it as the latter.

With his wallet inside his jacket pocket, he checks his hair one last time in the bathroom mirror and leaves his room to cross the hall to Minhyun’s door.

A couple of hours had passed since they’d been discussing work inside that very room when, suddenly, their talk took an unexpected turn. Their fight is still fresh in his memory and their unspoken words ring louder than what was actually said.

He still doesn’t know if Minhyun was joking when he said that about his looks and if what he said was even appropriate for their boss/employee relationship. (Who is he kidding? Of course it isn’t.)

That makes Dongho mentally snort. He was just thinking if this was a dinner date and now he’s worried about propriety? He’s such a hypocrite.

Dongho knocks on Minhyun’s door and his boss doesn’t take long to answer. Looking up from Minhyun’s polished shoes, Dongho slowly takes him in.

Tonight, Minhyun’s long legs are hugged by perfectly pressed black slacks and his slim, toned chest is covered by a white turtleneck shirt, complete with a black suit jacket over it. Minhyun’s hair is messily styled and it’s much different from his usual no-nonsense look.

Dongho holds back an appreciative smile when he notices Minhyun also checking him out.

“I have no idea where to take us,” the secretary quietly admits to break the staring contest.

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Minhyun shakes his head and steps out of his room. “Let’s go.”

Inside the car, Dongho tries to make small talk.

“So, uh, are you my boss tonight?”

So much for small talk.

“I’m always your boss, Kang.” Minhyun sounds like he’s talking to someone stupid and is also currently rethinking all his life choices.

“Jesus…” Dongho mutters and shakes his head. “Didn’t you give me the rest of the day off?”

His boss looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “Do you want to speak comfortably?”

“Yes,” Dongho replies at once, nodding his head. “I mean, yes, _sir_,” he corrects indulgently, making Minhyun snort.

“Go ahead, Dongho. Call me Minhyun.”

“That’s weird. Sir.”

“What do you want then?” Minhyun sounds annoyed now.

“I want to know if this is date, because if it is, I’d like for you to not be my boss tonight.”

The silence in the car stretches awkwardly when Minhyun doesn’t respond immediately, his face turned away from Dongho while he stares at the streetlights.

“Do you want it to be a date?” He finally says and it’s Dongho’s turn to be surprised. He wasn’t expecting that.

“I don’t know. I barely know you and most of the time you’re an asshole to me, but then you asked me to dinner. I don’t know what to think,” the secretary responds truthfully.

Minhyun’s still looking out the window when he responds, “I didn’t mean it as a date.”

Dongho feels his stomach rolling with disappointment. He’s so embarrassed his body is prickling all over and doesn’t know if he should laugh or cry at himself right now.

“It’s a boss/employee kind of dinner then. Got it.”

Minhyun finally looks at him but Dongho doesn’t try to face the other man again.

He remains quiet the rest of the drive to whatever restaurant his boss chose for the night.

* * *

Their dinner is awkward and filled with clipped conversation. Dongho would rather be anywhere else but here.

He’s so pathetic for presuming this could’ve been a date. A date with Hwang Minhyun? Him? An accountant made secretary? That’s so laughable he can’t believe the thought even crossed his mind.

He just wants to leave and sleep this day off.

Minhyun, to his credit, keeps trying to strike up a conversation, but being the only willing participant, he slowly gives up and lets Dongho have his way.

After their earlier conversation, the secretary doesn’t get the chance to enjoy the experience of having dinner at such a beautiful place with such spectacular food. He’d never have stepped foot in a place like this if it weren’t for Minhyun but, right now, he doesn’t really want to be thankful to the asshole who apparently likes to play games with him.

“Can we leave?” Dongho wipes his mouth with the napkin instead of looking up at Minhyun.

“Dongho.”

His boss calls his name so quietly he barely hears it. Dongho ignores him.

“Please.”

Minhyun hesitates before calling their waiter for the bill.

After paying for their dinner, Minhyun requests their driver to take them back to the hotel in another stilled ride.

im such an embarrassment  
how are you my friend  
**Kang Dongho [8:17 PM]**

what happened  
**Choi Minki [8:17 PM]**

made a fool out of myself  
in front of my boss  
**Kang Dongho [8:18 PM]**

sucks to be you  
**Choi Minki [8:18 PM]**

minki  
**Kang Dongho [8:18 PM]**

oh  
it’s serious then  
**Choi Minki [8:19 PM]**

i thought…  
he asked me on a date  
**Kang Dongho [8:19 PM]**

what  
dongho…  
you’re not serious  
**Choi Minki [8:19 PM]**

you are serious  
omg  
what were you thinking???  
**Choi Minki [8:20 PM]**

i wasn’t  
apparently  
**Kang Dongho [8:20 PM]**

i just wanna go back home  
**Kang Dongho [8:21 PM]**

aron tells me he’s known minhyun since they were kids  
and he’s never seen minhyun go out with anyone  
ever  
**Choi Minki [8:22 PM]**

YOU TOLD ARON???????  
**Kang Dongho [8:21 PM]**

wait  
isn’t he your boss?  
how do you even know that? it’s 8pm!  
**Kang Dongho [8:23 PM]**

minki???????  
**Kang Dongho [8:26 PM]**

Dongho looks up from his phone when he hears Minhyun quietly cough and it’s only then that he realizes they arrived back at the hotel. He pockets his phone and sighs heavily over his self-inflicted predicament before leaving the car.

He remembers he’s still Minhyun’s subordinate (how could he forget?), so he waits for him instead of simply heading to his room like he really wants to.

Everything feels strained now and it’s even worse than when his boss was simply being rude. Something irrevocably changed and he doesn’t know how to make it go back to normal, even if normal was already bad enough.

He accompanies Minhyun back to his room, finally looking up at his boss when they arrive at his door. “Sleep well, sir.” He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

Minhyun doesn’t say anything back, so the secretary awkwardly waves and goes back to his room, finally locking himself inside.

He takes off his shoes and jacket and throws himself on his bed headfirst, groaning into his pillow.

Can someone actually die out of embarrassment?

What’s even worse is that he had never really stopped to think about Minhyun that way before. He’d always been an insufferable asshole of a boss and Dongho had never felt like actually _looking_ at him and get interested.

Before, all he could ever think about Minhyun was that he should choke and die, but now his imagination is running wild and he doesn’t know how to stop. He wants to go back to when his only wish was for the other man’s slow and torturous death.

Now, he simply wishes to feel Minhyun’s lips on his.

Dongho muffles his groans on his pillow and maybe he could take the opportunity to smother himself so he’d stop thinking such absurdities.

He’s so lost in his self-pity that he gets startled by a knock on his door and unthinkingly rushes to open it.

Minhyun is standing on the other side, his hair a mess but it’s far from styled this time, and he apparently left his jacket back in his room before coming over.

Dongho frowns. “Did you forget anything?”

“Yes.”

Without waiting for a response, Minhyun steps past the threshold of Dongho’s room and unceremoniously holds his secretary’s face in his hands and kisses him firmly on the lips.

Dongho startles, his eyes opening wide and his hands coming up to hold Minhyun’s shoulders, but the other man doesn’t let him go. He holds Dongho in place, pressing his mouth more insistently on his and Dongho slowly relents, closing his eyes and getting lost in the feel of Minhyun’s soft lips on his.

Dongho’s heart is thundering so hard in his ribcage he’s feeling it in his ears and he’s sure Minhyun is feeling it too with how close they are. Dongho’s hands tentatively move to Minhyun’s waist and that’s all the taller man needs to push his tongue inside Dongho’s mouth, deepening the already intense kiss.

He moans loudly, feeling Minhyun’s tongue sliding sensuously against his, mapping every inch of Dongho’s mouth, and he’s still so lost over the whole unpredicted situation he doesn’t mind when Minhyun starts to lead the kiss, forcing Dongho to open his mouth wider for a more demanding kiss.

Minhyun walks Dongho back until the shorter man’s body hits the glass French door separating the room from the balcony and he presses his tall frame vigorously to Dongho’s front while his fingers slip between Dongho’s hair strands, holding tightly to tilt his head back, making him moan wantonly against his mouth.

With his body pressed between Minhyun and the door, Dongho can’t hide his arousal and he doesn’t really think before he starts rubbing his slowly engorging cock against Minhyun’s leg, holding Minhyun’s waist more tightly in his grip to pull him even closer against his body, their lips never leaving each other.

Without warning, Minhyun steps back, separating himself fully from his employee’s body, staring wildly at him with eyes shot wide.

Dongho covers his face with one of his hands, moaning at the loss of Minhyun’s body on his, and his other hand shamelessly presses over his hard cock that is now straining his tight pants to alleviate a bit of the torturous pain.

Minhyun’s eyes shoot down to look at what Dongho is doing and he licks his lips before staring back at his secretary’s face.

“I should go.”

Dongho drops his hands from his face and his cock, panting heavily, his body still hot, still feeling the other man on him, around him, all over him.

“You did this to me and now you’re leaving.”

It doesn’t really sound like a question so Minhyun doesn’t respond.

Dongho’s eyes drop to the carpet floor and he gives a self-deprecating laugh.

“Just fucking leave...”

He doesn’t hope, he really doesn’t, but when he hears the door click shut, he still feels like a fool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, hi. Hehehehehe. I'm really sorry? :D
> 
> I'm available on twitter for a screaming session if you feel like it D: @ohminhyunnie.
> 
> Seriously though, you guys have been so wonderful, I'm overwhelmed by all of your comments. Thank you so much for your kind words, screams, laughter, keysmashes, etc. I love reading your reactions! Your support means a lot <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta-ed by the incredible Akane (akaneimnida on ao3 and twitter). Go read all of her stories!
> 
> Cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

The next day, Dongho wakes up with a major headache.

Everything that happened the night before feels like a bad dream, but the ache in his chest proves that it was all very real.

Minhyun really came to his room and kissed Dongho like he owned him, only to ditch him mid-kiss without any explanation, leaving Dongho’s body buzzing with pent-up frustration, his cock painfully hard, and worst of all, leaving his head a complete mess.

Dongho lies unmoving on his back on his hotel bed, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling, his thoughts running wild. He has no idea how he should act from now on. If everything was already stilled after he stupidly presumed his boss might have asked him out, now he just feels like an absolute fool with no choice but to be his boss’ secretary and only that.

He heaves a sigh, closing his eyes to find the strength to start off his day. He still has an important meeting to attend and one more stop in this business trip before he’s allowed to finally go back home.

And Dongho is nothing if not a professional.

* * *

Minhyun calls for him an hour later and Dongho reckons he’s finally ready to face his boss.

“Good morning,” the secretary says impassively when he meets Minhyun in the hotel conference room he had booked yesterday for their scheduled meeting with Hwang Corps’ soon-to-be new associate. “Here are the reviewed reports for the meeting with the Chinese team tomorrow. Everything is ready for our flight later and I already checked our hotel reservations. Everything seems to be fine.”

Minhyun mutely takes the paper, sparing his secretary a glance before shifting his attention to the papers handed to him.

“Call for room service. I need coffee ready and—”

“Grape juice, yes. That’s also already taken care of,” Dongho interrupts his boss, his voice showing no inflection. “Sir.”

“Dongho—”

“Sir?”

They briefly stare at each other and Minhyun tries again, sounding tired.

“Dongho, listen—”

“Sir, I’d feel more comfortable if you called me by my surname. I don’t want to have things getting mixed up again.” The secretary cuts him off yet again, keeping his tone low and trying not to show the whirlwind of emotions running inside his head by just standing next to him.

“Are we really going to be like this now? You don’t understand—” Minhyun sounds distressed even if his features continue to show no emotion.

“I don’t. And I don’t want to.”

“Dongho—” Minhyun tries yet again, frowning, his exasperation barely suppressed.

“Will you _stop_ calling me that?” Dongho finally snaps, averting his eyes like he’d rather look at anything but his boss’ handsome but still constipated face. “Let’s stop this right now, I just told you I don’t understand. Nor do I want to.”

Minhyun sighs heavily, still looking at his subordinate like this conversation isn’t really over.

“If that’s what you want…”

“You have no idea what I want.”

Dongho is saved from having to continue this discussion when room service enters the conference room, and the secretary excuses himself to help the staff get everything ready.

A few minutes later, they receive Ismaya Budiarto and his team at the scheduled time. Before getting started on the business talk, Minhyun exchanges a few pleasantries with his soon-to-be associate and it’s clear to Dongho they’ve already met each other.

As Minhyun and Dongho had previously discussed, throughout the past year, the contract terms had been reviewed at length by both parties’ team of lawyers before this meeting was scheduled, and everything was now finally in order for them to sign the final version of the settlement, so the meeting went by faster than Dongho expected.

After signing the papers, Minhyun arranges for a meeting with Budiarto’s team back in Seoul, which Dongho immediately takes care of.

For the duration of the meeting, Dongho stays on his best behavior and as far as possible from his boss, who in turn looks absorbed in his work, much to the secretary’s relief.

Before leaving, Budiarto stops next to Dongho at the coffee table to have a drink of water.

“You’re new.” The CEO politely smiles at Dongho, trying to strike up a conversation in broken Korean with the secretary. “You weren’t here the last time.”

“Oh, yes!” Dongho quickly responds and bows down respectfully. “I just started this job this week.”

“This week?” Budiarto sounds surprised, taking a sip of his water. “So what are your thoughts on our partnership with Hwang Corps?”

Dongho looks around, knowing he’s trapped in a tricky conversation, but Minhyun is otherwise engaged in what looks like an important call.

“Well…” The secretary starts, taking a deep breath. “I believe it’s a gamble for us to try to breach the Indonesian market so soon after we barely established our position in other countries. Your business is going to gain more from this settlement than us, that’s for sure, but I also think the risk we are taking now will pay off in the long run if both our companies do their part.”

Budiarto smiles again as if he’s finding the situation very amusing. “If you know that, why didn’t you warn your boss into changing the contract clauses?”

“Oh, of course he’s aware, but it’s a risk he’s willing to take. And I’m sure that you’re also aware of what this settlement actually means to Hwang Corps right now. You gain from this contract while Hwang Corps gains from stopping Yasushi Akimoto’s business advances in Indonesia.”

The older man finishes his drink and nods at Dongho, looking more interested all of a sudden. “Yes, yes... So tell me. Why does Hwang want to stop Yasushi’s company from entering our market?”

Dongho gives him a little sideways smile, shaking his head. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Budiarto actually laughs at Dongho’s insolence and that’s when the secretary feels a cold hand resting on his shoulder.

“Is Kang keeping you company, _pak_ Ismaya?”

The CEO turns to Minhyun, still laughing, switching the conversation back to English. “You should be careful leaving someone like Kang here by himself. I might steal him from you solely for his smart mouth.”

Minhyun tightens his hand on Dongho’s shoulder and lets the corner of his mouth turn up slightly. “He’s not going anywhere.”

“Of course…” Budiarto amusedly bows his head in consent. Minhyun doesn’t remove his hand from Dongho’s shoulder, and the latter remains quiet for the whole awkward exchange.

The CEO and CFO say their goodbyes and, not long after, Budiarto leaves the conference room with his team. The whole time, Minhyun keeps close to Dongho and often puts his hand back on his secretary’s shoulder possessively.

As soon as Dongho is left alone with Minhyun, he shakes the other male’s hand rudely off his shoulder and approaches the table to gather their paperwork so he can go back to his room and get himself ready for their flight to Hong Kong.

Minhyun stays away, giving him the space he needs while quietly following Dongho’s movements with his eyes. He doesn’t try to reach for Dongho again and the secretary is glad his boss finally got the hint.

Really, he is. This is exactly what he wanted.

* * *

Dongho is thankful for every second he’s allowed to be alone in this trip, because with every second he’s forced to stay by Minhyun’s side, he feels like he’s a second closer to going insane.

How did he live in close proximity with this man for more than a year without noticing how enticing he smells or how his mere presence commands the room? It’s absurd how people actually stop what they are doing to stare at him when he’s just walking by.

Prior to their clashing encounter the night before, Dongho had never really stopped to think about how he and Minhyun are of the same age, and how Minhyun has already accomplished so much while Dongho is still juggling with his unstable personal life and trying not to let it compromise his career.

His mind can’t seem to stop replaying the recent catastrophic events, making him overthink to the point where he can’t do anything _but_ overthink, agonizing over the fact that he’s just a Jeju kid with no big aspirations aside from providing a better life for his family that literally depends on him, and that he might have really messed everything up by kissing his boss (or even before that, by presuming the guy wanted anything to do with him romantically).

And what pisses him off the most is that Minhyun didn’t think before doing this to him, and that he clearly won’t be taking responsibility for it like he should. That man is just a spoiled, inconsiderate bastard who put Dongho in an extremely awkward position and still expects him to be understanding.

Dongho was minding his own business when that asshole decided to make him his secretary, complicating even more his already very complicated life.

Dongho misses the time when he was just another accountant in a multinational company and his biggest worries were how he was going to finish his end-of-the-year report when his asshole boss kept requesting his presence and how he could save up even more to send more money back to his mother. Now, his biggest cause for concern is how he’s going to _keep his job_ when all he can think about is jumping his boss and making him finish what he started.

At this point, Dongho will do absolutely anything to take his head off his boss, even if it means finding trouble somewhere else.

* * *

They arrive so late in Hong Kong that same day Dongho has to call their hotel reception desk to let them know they’d be doing a late check-in.

Dongho still takes care of everything and he’s glad it’s the last time he’ll have to worry about this—until the next business trip, that is.

That single thought makes him groan out loud. How many times will he have to travel alone with his boss?

“Are you feeling sick?” Minhyun’s worried but soothing voice startles him back into reality.

Dongho blinks once and realizes he’s still holding Minhyun’s room key that he had meant to hand over, while Minhyun patiently waits for him to release it on his extended palm.

“Sorry,” he murmurs tiredly, dropping his arm as soon as Minhyun gets the keycard. “Good night, sir.”

He gets to his room with the feeling of being watched, but at least he’s alone with his own thoughts for company now, but that’s only marginally better, the only difference is that his source of distress is only inside his head and not beside him.

Dongho goes straight to the bed, his discarded clothes creating a messy path on the floor. He’s so tired he should be able to fall asleep instantly, but his mind can’t seem to let him rest.

His body still remembers Minhyun’s touch, the way he claimed his mouth in a searing kiss, making him forget he shouldn’t really be doing that with the other man. Dongho groans, closing his eyes, feeling his body prickle with goosebumps. It’s actually been so long since he’d been with anyone and now that he almost had that, not only his mind but his body can’t seem to let it go.

He’s suddenly filled with an uncontrollable lust, an urge to get some sort of release. He moves his hand to push the heel of his palm against his clothed cock while covering his eyes with his free arm. Maybe this is exactly what he needs to get his mind off things.

He raises his hand and messily licks his palm before shoving it inside his briefs this time, his hand curling around his hardening length in a tight fist, pumping it slowly, making him hiss over how good it feels.

Dongho moans throatily, feeling his slick palm slide over his most sensitive skin with increasing speed, precome gathering on the slit before his thumb smears it around the head of his cock, making it even more wet to the touch.

Dongho’s heart is pounding in his chest and he feels his blood roaring in his ears. He’s really doing this with his head still full of thoughts about his boss.

Already half out of his mind, he shoves his briefs off hastily, leaving them half down his thick thighs, and spits loudly on his palm before taking his balls in his hand, massaging each one delicately while still stroking his slick cock with his other hand.

Suddenly, Minhyun is there, inside his head, all around him, consuming him to the point he can even smell the other’s perfume and that’s almost enough to make him come on the spot. He moans loudly, squeezing the base of his member to hold off his orgasm, wanting this moment to continue for just a minute longer.

He braces his feet on the bed, his knees wide apart, and he thrusts his hips up, fucking his firm grip but imagining he’s fucking Minhyun’s rude, pretentious mouth instead. His hips piston off the bed as he speeds up, his imagination running wild, picturing Minhyun’s warm mouth taking him deep in his throat, almost to the point of gagging, saliva running down Minhyun’s chin with his eyes locked on Dongho’s.

His bare back and chest are already slick with sweat as he writhes against the bed, the smell of sex filling his senses, a fresh wave of arousal making him dizzy with want, and when he moves his hand to pinch his nipple, his cock pulses and he comes hard in his first, moaning wantonly, feeling hot spurs of come coating his hand and his chest.

Breathing heavily, he finally opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling, his head empty for the first time since last night, his body still spasming while he rides out the last of the aftershocks. Maybe he’ll be able to have a peaceful night’s sleep tonight.

He wipes his hand on the bedsheet and pushes his body off the bed to go clean himself in the bathroom. While passing by his forgotten phone on the nightstand, he picks it up only to find two unread texts from Hwang Satan.

For the sake of his sanity, Dongho decides to ignore the messages for the time being.

* * *

The next day, as soon as Dongho wakes up, he calls his brother to check on his mother’s condition. Thankfully, she’s doing better, but she will have to stay under observation for the rest of the day with the promise of being released first thing tomorrow. That’s another full hospital stay he’ll have to take care of, but he’ll make do somehow.

After that, the day passes in a blur. He and Minhyun start on a mini-tour around Hong Kong, still very early in the morning, to see the new Hwang Corps facilities for themselves.

They are received by a full committee of highly-ranked executives leading the expansion project, so Minhyun is completely in his element, dealing with people he’s used to, whom Dongho had only seen in passing before they had gotten transferred to China.

Surprisingly, Dongho gets immersed in his job and not even once do his thoughts stray to his personal messy matters, and he completely forgets about the unread messages he received from Minhyun the night before. Maybe getting off really did help him get his mind off things.

He also doesn’t notice Minhyun’s furtive glances in his direction throughout the day, much to his relief. The last thing he needed right now was to get even more confused by his boss’ unexpected actions.

As they’re going to be staying in the city for two whole days, the committee in charge of showing them around their brand new facilities divides the visit into two parts, so they are released around lunch to go back to the hotel and end up having a free afternoon.

Dongho is hoping really badly that Minhyun will let him off the hook to enjoy his newly-acquired peace of mind and an actual half day off on this trip when his boss ruins any of his expectations.

“Jonghyun-ssi texted me requesting an emergency meeting for when we get back to Seoul. It clashes with my schedule but I’ll send you on my behalf.” He starts when they’re still inside the car taking them back to the hotel. “You’ll meet with him to get prepared for it but we still have to discuss a few things since you’re going to be representing me. Come over to my room at 4 o’clock sharp so we can go over that.”

Dongho can’t help but groan.

“Are you not satisfied with that arrangement?” Minhyun asks, unamused.

“I was looking forward to having a day off, sir,” the secretary mutters.

His boss snorts at his boldness. “Do you want to go have dinner again, then?”

Dongho feels his stomach dropping so hard it probably hit his feet.

“Pass,” he says between gritted teeth, looking out at the busy street instead of at his boss who’s sitting right next to him and looking straight at him.

“Do you usually speak like that to your superiors?”

“Do you usually ask your subordinates out on dates?” Dongho finally looks at him, raising an eyebrow in defiance.

It’s his boss’ turn to be taken by surprise. “That wasn’t a date.”

“Yeah, you already made that very clear,” he concludes bitterly, almost kicking himself for sounding like that.

Dongho hears Minhyun’s heavy sigh, but thankfully silence fills the rest of the drive back.

* * *

Dongho doesn’t have time to be thankful that Satan let him have a few hours of rest because he falls asleep as soon as his head hits his pillow when he gets back to his room.

He’s bone tired because he has been working non-stop since receiving the very shocking news that he was getting a promotion to be his boss’ babysitter and he’s been overthinking every single aspect surrounding his and Minhyun’s relationship (if they even have one to begin with), aside from their already-established CFO-secretary dynamic.

An hour later, he startles slightly out of sleep with the sound of his alarm clock going off. Dongho turns it off and lazily stretches in bed like a cat in nothing but a pair of sweats, pulled dangerously low during sleep, his body full of little red marks left by the crumpled bed sheets.

_Would I even want a relationship with a workaholic and megalomaniac person like Hwang Minhyun?_

“I can’t believe this is my first thought after waking up,” he groans sleepily.

_Minhyun isn’t so bad with his mouth shut, though_, Dongho’s mind continues on with the same line of thought. _Maybe if I choked him into silence with my--_

Dongho snorts, feeling his face flush at the uncensored thought, muffling the noise in his pillow. Maybe jerking off to the thought of fucking his boss’ mouth wasn’t such a great idea after all. Dongho just hopes his situation won’t get any worse because if he starts picturing Minhyun in adventurous sexual positions during office hours, he’ll probably have to quit his job or go insane.

Dongho hears his phone buzzing so he feels up the bed close eyed until he finds it and picks up the call without checking the caller’s identity.

“Hello?”

“Did you just wake up, punk?” His brother’s voice comes from the receiver. “What exactly do you do that you’re sleeping at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on a weekday?”

“You don’t wanna know, hyung.” Dongho sounds overly ominous, his voice hoarse from sleep.

His brother snorts. “Listen, I’m calling to pass over my thanks to your friend Joohyun from work for stopping by to settle the hospital bill. I really don’t want to know what you’re doing for a living now, but it’s sure paying well.”

Wait—

_What?_

“Uh, Joohyun? Yes… Joohyun—” Dongho frowns, deep creases appearing between his eyebrows. Who is this person paying for his mother’s hospital bills? “Right, Joohyun… I’m glad he found you. So, uh, is everything settled then?”

“Yes, and he looked like a decent bloke. He was really worried about mom’s condition. I’m glad you’re not alone with Minki in Seoul, after all.”

“Yeah… About that—” He’s about to explaining that he doesn’t really know a Joohyun when, suddenly, something very important clicks in Dongho’s head and it’s like a wave of ice cold water hitting his whole body all at once. He can already feel a headache coming. “Hyung, did you, by any chance, mean _Jonghyun_?”

“Jonghyun, yes!” His brother laughs. “Jesus, please don’t tell him I got his name wrong. He went through all the trouble of coming here to finding us…”

Dongho isn’t listening to his brother anymore, though, because he’s already planning his boss’ unequivocal demise.

“Hyung, I’m sorry, something just came up. I have to go but I’ll call you later, okay?”

He doesn’t wait for his brother’s reply before hanging up on his face and he can’t even feel bad about it right now. Dongho will soon have enough time to feel bad about his brother having to support their mother alone when he’s locked in jail for conspiracy to murder.

Dongho puts on a used hoodie and doesn’t bother with shoes before marching to Minhyun’s hotel room at least an hour earlier than scheduled, his phone still clutched in his hand. With his other hand, he angrily knocks on the door a few times in rapid succession.

Soon, Minhyun’s face appears behind it with an annoyed frown but his expression quickly changes to one of surprise after taking in Dongho’s mad appearance.

“Wha—”

“Tell me you didn’t!” Dongho interrupts him angrily.

Minhyun startles even more, looking out at the corridor before catching his secretary by the arm and roughly dragging him inside, locking the door behind them.

“What are you talking about?” He intentionally tries to keep his voice even to counterbalance Dongho’s rage, even if the other isn’t exactly screaming. Minhyun passes by Dongho on his way back inside his room and it’s only then that the secretary takes in his boss’ current state.

Minhyun is barefoot, dressed in a pair of short loose yellow shorts that leave nothing to the imagination, complete with a black t-shirt, holding a book in his hand which is still being kept slightly open by a finger on the last page he was probably reading before being rudely interrupted by his secretary.

“What are you wearing?” Dongho sounds dumbfounded, eyes locked on Minhyun’s long, creamy white legs. _Are his knees really naturally pink like that?_

His boss’s face hardens but the red tip of his ears give him away. “Did you come here to police the way I dress, or did you have more pressing matters when you decided to try to shatter my door down just now?”

Dongho shakes his head to go back to the matter at hand.

“Right.” The secretary face hardens once again. “My brother just called me and said a Jonghyun from the office came to pay for the hospital bills. Just tell me you had nothing to do with that, or I swear to god I will…”

“You will what?” Minhyun laughs amused, catching up quickly. “Please, do enlighten me, Kang. What will you do?”

“Don’t you dare try to fuck with my head right now!” Dongho raises his voice, coming one step closer to Minhyun, who doesn’t step back and simply crosses his arms. “You’re not even denying it!” He laughs incredulously, his boss’ behavior getting the best of him making him quickly lose his temper.

“Is that what you want me to do? To deny? Fine, I didn’t do it. You can go back to your room now.” Minhyun steps back and condescendingly motions for Dongho to leave.

The secretary ignores him, still fuming, coming even closer to his boss. “You had no right,” Dongho says between gritted teeth, trying to control his temper.

“No right to what? To help an employee?” Minhyun raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t need your help!” Dongho bellows suddenly, pointing at him and poking him hard on the chest.

Minhyun roughly pushes his hand away, for the first time looking like Dongho’s posture is getting to him. “Then pay me back. Now, for god’s sake, stop acting like a child.”

Dongho is still raging, his whole body buzzing with it while his boss looks mostly controlled, like he had expected this. “_I’m_ acting like a child? You pretentious son of a—”

“_Enough._” Minhyun cuts him off sharply, his tone hardening and his face closing off. “I’ve had enough of this. Who do you think you are to talk to me like this?” He continues acidly.

The secretary clicks his mouth shut, almost choking with how hard he has to keep those last few words in. He’s still furiously staring at his boss, but not a single word leaves his mouth for the moment.

“You think because I kissed you, you have the right to talk to me like we are equals? That kiss was a _mistake_.” Minhyun stresses the word like he really means it, and it would be a big fat lie if Dongho said it didn’t hurt like a punch in the face.

The secretary’s face immediately fills with shame, blushing an angry red from his neck to his ears, and some kind of emotion crosses Minhyun’s expression upon seeing that, but it’s gone before Dongho can catch what it means. Right now, Dongho’s only worry is how he’s going to escape this room and the meeting they were supposed to have afterwards. If he still has a job, that is.

Minhyun doesn’t continue and Dongho takes the opportunity to stare at the ground, wishing it could open and swallow him whole.

“I’m sorry,” the secretary says quietly. “Can I—Am I dismissed?”

Minhyun’s reply is so quick he almost doesn’t let him finish. “Look at me.”

Dongho’s jaw tightens. “No.”

Dongho doesn’t hear the barefoot steps on the carpeted floor so he’s taken by surprise when he feels cold fingers under his chin, making him raise his head and stare straight at Minhyun’s eyes. His boss is standing so close to him.

He steps back at once but he doesn’t avert his eyes again, and Minhyun’s hand drops back to his side.

“Is this a game to you?” Dongho’s voice is low, trying to keep his rage and his shame at bay. “What do you want from me?”

“I don’t know.” Minhyun’s tone lowers to match Dongho’s, not sounding venomous like before, and he continues to stare straight at his secretary’s eyes, masking well all his emotions.

Dongho gives him a humourless laugh. “Let me know when you find out,” he says mockingly and doesn’t wait to be dismissed this time, walking back towards the door when Minhyun’s quiet request stops him.

“Stay.”

Dongho closes his eyes, feeling his heart beating so fast in his chest and his whole body prickling painfully with goose flesh at Minhyun’s unexpected words.

He wants to stay. He wants to stay and kiss him again and make him regret saying it was a mistake. He wants to stay to show him that he _should_ know what he wants. He wants to stay because, no matter what they are outside this room, Minhyun is not better than him.

But after everything that just happened, he’d be a fool if he stayed.

“Not while we aren’t equals.”

Dongho leaves without looking back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another huge thanks to Akane for beta-ing this and for being so fucking supportive. <3
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter ó_ò but I'm available on twitter if you wanna fight me uwu @ohminhyunnie


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Akane for continuously being awesome and my wife who's been letting me borrow her brain for this story sometimes
> 
> Cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

They end up completely skipping their small meeting in Minhyun’s room after the whole fiasco of Dongho’s attempted confrontation, much to Dongho’s relief. He doesn’t leave his room at the scheduled time and Minhyun doesn’t call him out, so the secretary is counting that as a win. Not that he’s been getting many of those lately, so he has to count even the smallest victories.

Without having any appointment to attend for the rest of the day, Dongho finds that he doesn’t really know what to do with his free time. He could go shopping but he doesn’t have any Hong Kong Dollar on him, or any Won for that matter (and now that he probably owes Minhyun his left kidney, he better start saving up). He could just go out for a walk instead, but he’s suddenly feeling bone tired; he hasn’t really rested since getting his promotion, and even if it hasn’t been that long, it feels like dog years.

Truthfully, Dongho might do just about anything to try to stop his mind from straying to his last encounter with his boss. It’s been just a couple of hours since it happened, but whenever he can’t catch himself in time and ends up remembering the severe mortification he felt at Minhyun’s vicious words, his face instantly burns with shame. If he were any weaker, he would’ve probably given this whole thing up after that.

So he spends the rest of the day doing absolutely anything he can think of—from tidying the room (his mom would be proud) to going ahead and wrapping up his end-of-the-year report unsolicited (Minhyun would be proud, but he doesn’t really care about that one)—to keep his mind from going on another overthinking streak.

He will get over himself soon enough. It’s not the first time he has been rejected, and it won’t be the last time it happens. And if he’s honest with himself, that outcome was for the best.

His boss is someone who can have anyone or anything he wants, and the more Dongho thinks about it, the more he’s sure this is just a game to him. Minhyun doesn’t really know what he wants (aside from supposedly wanting to play with Dongho’s head), and the secretary is tired of the other’s mind games. If Dongho gets any more invested (and that’s saying a lot), he’s sure he wouldn’t get out of if unscathed, because there’s no doubt in his mind Minhyun would never let someone like Dongho hurt him.

Another pressing matter is that Dongho actually considered sleeping with his boss. What kind of person did he become to go as low as that? Doesn’t he have any self-respect? As soon as Minhyun is done with him, he’d be jobless and with a (even more) bruised ego.

Dongho stops folding his clothes mid-fold, registers what he’s doing, and groans.

_So much for not thinking about your boss, dumbass._

* * *

The next morning, Dongho wakes up feeling a lot better about the unfavorable position he had a large hand in putting himself into. Yeah, Minhyun kissed him, but Dongho kissed him right back, so he’s not guilt free. The sweeping difference being that, unlike his coward counterpart, he takes full responsibility for his actions.

He showers and blow dries his hair, putting on his best (admittedly gifted) suit: a pinstripe dark grey one that makes his shoulders look as wide as the Pacific Ocean, and thinks he’s finally ready to be around Minhyun again.

Leaving his spotless room behind to go meet his boss at the hotel lobby for the last appointment of this trip, Dongho believes he’d made a huge mistake in assuming he was prepared to face the other man.

Because as soon as he opens his door, he finds his boss on the other side, looking sheepish for all of two seconds before regaining his usual self-assured composure.

Because Minhyun isn’t just there looking immaculate in an all-black ensemble, black suit over black dress shirt, top button carelessly open, with his hair down and his bangs almost covering his eyes like he didn’t have time to style it to its usual perfection.

Because Minhyun is there holding two disposable coffee cups, one in each hand, and he is so otherworldly beautiful, Dongho can’t help but wonder if he’s still dreaming, even if he should think it was a nightmare instead.

“Good morning,” Minhyun says, offering him one of the coffee cups like this is just another normal occurrence in their daily lives. Dongho’s hand automatically reaches to accept it. “Are you ready to leave?”

Dongho frowns, glancing down at the steamy liquid reflecting the yellow lamplights of the hotel corridor back at him. It’s still too early for this.

“What’s all this?”

“This is coffee, Dongho.” Minhyun tries to placate him, his eyes searching for Dongho’s.

“_Kang,_” Dongho corrects and lifts the cup to his lips, finally taking a sip of the still hot coffee, keeping his eyes averted. It tastes exactly like how he usually takes it and he can tell Minhyun is expecting a reaction, but he’s not giving him one.

Minhyun sighs and it sounds like defeat.

“Kang.” Minhyun nods, conceding, his eyes finally giving up on finding Dongho’s just when the other finally looks back at him.

Dongho quietly watches as Minhyun squares his shoulders, his free hand flipping his hair back while his eyes follow a random hotel guest going back to their room.

He’s so effortlessly beautiful even when he looks beat and not as flawless as usual, but Dongho’s not fooled anymore.

Minhyun is just as dangerous as he is beautiful.

* * *

To prove Dongho’s assumptions right, Minhyun spends the rest of the day being the perfect gentleman, doing his best to be cordial to him during their visit to Hwang Corps’ freshly inaugurated Hong Kong office, tirelessly opening doors and always waiting back for Dongho when he’s the last one to leave a facility.

It’s like they swapped places without warning Dongho, and he’s now the secretary and Dongho is the boss.

It’d be funny if it weren’t so tragic, and the situation hits its critical peak when Minhyun’s business associates, who are accompanying them during this tour, start giving him confused looks after Minhyun takes off his suit jacket and covers Dongho’s shoulders with it when he catches the other crossing his arms and furtively rubbing his hand over them.

Dongho (kind of) appreciates the effort, although he has no fucking clue why his boss is doing something so out of character for him, but this is starting to get out of hand.

When someone from the Hong Kong team starts on his obviously rehearsed speech about mutual effort to expand the Hwang Corps business further in the Chinese market, Dongho takes the opportunity to pull Minhyun aside.

“What are you doing?” Dongho smiles politely, lips barely moving, poking Minhyun’s side with his elbow to catch his attention.

“Working?” The other frowns, glancing sideways at him.

Dongho’s smile freezes and he blinks once. “Are you being profusely dense to piss me off?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Minhyun shakes his head and his confusion seems sincere to Dongho, so he doesn’t call him out on his bullshit yet. Instead, Dongho tries to make him understand what he’s been doing for the past two hours without having to be explicit about it.

The secretary takes Minhyun’s jacket off his shoulders and pointedly hands it back to him.

“They think we are fucking now,” he mutters annoyedly. So much for trying to not to be explicit.

Dongho tries to loosen his own tie without making it obvious that he’s uncomfortable, while Minhyun puts his own jacket back on, fixing his open collar and running a hand through his hair, not at all bothered by the whole conversation.

“Do you care?” His boss asks carelessly.

“Yes!” Dongho exclaims indignantly, interrupting the employee giving his speech and making him stutter in surprise. By then, everyone is already staring at them in silence and the secretary looks around nervously, giving a high-pitched laugh to try and cover up. “Yes! I’m so glad we are finally here in Hong Kong, inaugurating our new overseas office!” He looks desperately at Minhyun for help.

“Yes, yes...” Minhyun holds back a laugh, covering his mouth for a moment to regain his composure. “I’m pleased to be able to witness the results of Hwang Corps’ Hong Kong team efforts and, yes.” He pauses and glances at Dongho, who’s still spotting a forced smile, and continues with his improvised speech while keeping eye contact with his secretary. “Just like Kang said, the new office looks _splendid_. Let’s continue on with the good work.” He starts clapping and suddenly everyone around them starts doing the same.

Everyone _but_ Dongho, who is currently gaping like a fish.

He can’t believe he fell straight into Minhyun’s trap like that.

* * *

They arrive back at the hotel way past dinner time, and Dongho is ready to eat his own bodyweight’s worth of food. He’s just about to finally take his too formal clothes off when he hears a knock on his door and this time he knows exactly who is behind it.

“Do you make it a habit to visit your secretary’s room every night during your business trips?” He asks in place of a greeting before he’s even done with opening the door.

“I don’t, but I could if you wanted me to,” Minhyun says placidly, staring straight at him, and he doesn’t break eye contact when the corners of his mouth rise up a little. He’s honest-to-god trying to jokingly tease Dongho now and, in Minhyun’s case, that probably means he’s trying his best.

Dongho would be moved if he didn’t know better.

He looks at his boss from head to toe, taking him in slowly. He really is so handsome in his sharp black suit, now with a few more buttons open on his shirt collar, standing in the middle of the hotel corridor like he owns the building and Dongho’s time.

“I want you to stop playing games. Can you manage that?” Dongho snaps instead of flirting back like Minhyun was probably hoping he would.

“Are you angry because I’m here to tell you that I want you, or because you’re afraid of accepting the fact that you want me back?” Minhyun takes a step closer but doesn’t try to push his way inside Dongho’s room like he normally would.

“Oh, now you want me?” Dongho laughs incredulously, holding the doorknob so tightly his knuckles turn white. He rests his other hand on the door frame to either block Minhyun from entering his room or to hold himself back from punching him in the face. “If you wanted me, you would have stayed.”

Minhyun’s calm stance cracks a little but it’s still too superficial to see through his bullshit. “I could be telling you the same thing.”

“You told me I was a mistake!” Dongho finally raises his voice, dropping all pretenses. He runs a hand through his hair, making it go up in all directions, but he’s too frustrated to care about his appearance at the moment. He takes a deep breath. “I’m not discussing this on my doorstep. Is there anything else?”

His boss looks over Dongho’s shoulder at the room behind him, like he’s considering doing something stupid, seeing as Dongho’s posture is far from welcoming, but thankfully Minhyun doesn’t act on it. Dongho wasn’t ready for an even bigger row basically in public.

Minhyun seems to have a lot more to say, but he looks too defeated to continue and Dongho won’t let his curiosity get the best of him this time.

“We still have to go over some aspects of the meeting you’ll be attending with Jonghyun.” He heaves tiredly. “Change into something more comfortable if you want and meet me back in my room. I’ll make it quick.”

Without waiting for a reply, Minhyun goes back to his room because he knows Dongho has no choice in the matter and will have to be there if he wants to keep his job.

The secretary slams the door shut, hitting his forehead on it a few times while he quickly does some math and—nope, he still needs his job, so he makes himself go change instead of inflicting self-harm.

He takes a quick shower, feeling much better afterwards, not caring too much if he’s taking too long to meet his boss. This is _way_ after hours for him to still be worried about his insubordination (not to mention everything else that is going on), so he changes in no rush; he puts on his last clean pair of jogger pants and a hoodie, combs his hair back, and grabs his laptop before padding barefoot to Minhyun’s room which happens to be in the same corridor.

“It’s open!” He hears Minhyun hollering from inside after he knocks on his door, so he tries the handle and finds it open like Minhyun had said, going inside to wait for him on one of the armchairs facing the glass window.

Minhyun’s staying in the hotel penthouse and this one is a little different from the previous hotel rooms his boss stayed in. It’s still way bigger than Dongho’s and, this time, there’s no balcony, just a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows that allows him to fully admire the jaw dropping view of the Hong Kong city lights from any part of the room.

The penthouse has a very generous open space and nothing looks clustered, not even with a fireplace in the middle of the room projected to separate the dining space from the living area. There isn’t a door separating the ensuite from the rest of the room either, and the only two doors he finds are the ones leading to the bathroom, where Minhyun is currently taking a shower by the sounds of it, and the exit one.

His boss’ bed is in full display this time and it still looks very tidy but at least it seems a little lived in now, with his discarded suit thrown over it and his phone lying face down on the covers.

Seeing his boss’ phone reminds him that he left his phone back in his room, so he stands up quickly to go and get it, leaving the door ajar so he can go in when he comes back.

While walking back to Minhyun’s room with his phone in hand, he gets a message from his brother letting him know he and his mom got home safely with the extra money Jonghyun left for the taxi fare.

Dongho stops in the middle of the corridor and takes a deep, fortifying breath, closing his eyes and trying not to let this get the best of him again. He’s still so unbelievably aggravated by the whole incident that he couldn’t even be grateful for the thoughtful action.

He’s not exactly angry about getting help (maybe he now has a slightly bruised ego, but he can deal). He's angry because, apparently, Minhyun can’t stay out of his personal matters and goes behind his back when absolutely no one asked for his meddling. Dongho knows his reaction was amplified by his and Minhyun’s current situation, but nothing changes the fact that he’s a megalomaniac asshole who’s unable to properly apologize.

Before locking his phone, he remembers the couple of texts he got from Minhyun the night before (when he was otherwise _occupied_), so he opens their chat to read the messages while his other hand pushes Minhyun’s room door open wide.

I couldn’t stop thinking about you the whole day so I ended up doing something very stupid.  
**Hwang Satan [19/05/20 • 11:29 PM]**

Can we please talk? I was worried and wanted to do this for you but if you’re uncomfortable, we can think of a way for you to pay me back.  
**Hwang Satan [19/05/20 • 11:35 PM]**

Dongho’s heart is beating so fast in his ribcage he’s surprised he’s not having an actual stroke. Maybe he _is_ having one because his whole body goes slightly numb, and his grip on the doorknob is so tight, that when he drops it after opening the door, he feels blood rushing back in and warming his cold palm, feeling the tips of his fingers tingle.

Finally raising his head, Dongho lifts his eyes off his phone to stare unseeingly inside Minhyun’s penthouse, his mind busy considering a plausible escape route to maybe fucking _Cyprus_ or any other remote location as far from his (apparently not that much of an asshole) boss as possible, when that train of thought suddenly stops just as Dongho’s eyes refocus on the open room ahead, and he altogether drops his phone on the floor to stare mesmerized at Minhyun’s naked form freshly out of the shower.

Dongho’s eyes slowly travel up Minhyun’s body, from his pink knees to his soft thighs, drinking in his exposed crotch and toned chest, until his eyes finally find Minhyun’s wide eyes staring back at him, and that’s what shocks Dongho into motion.

The secretary clumsily scrambles to reach the door, slamming it back shut, his eyes shot wide with adrenaline, staring in silent horror at the now closed door.

From inside the room, Dongho hears something crashing and he himself almost falls in his hush to catch his phone off the ground and run back to his room with his face blotchy red and the image of Minhyun’s naked body imprinted to his memory.

Minhyun throws his door open before Dongho manages to leave, panting like the ran to make sure he’d catch his secretary still around. He’s now thankfully wearing a bathrobe, but it seems like he didn’t have enough time to tie it properly, having to clutch it closed in a tight fist.

“You ever heard of knocking?” His boss hisses angrily, looking out at the corridor to make sure no one is witnessing this embarrassing conversation.

With his face still burning with shame, Dongho hisses back. “You told me to get in!”

“But you left! You should’ve knocked—You know what, just come in.” Trying to keep the rest of his dignity intact, Minhyun huffs in frustration and steps back to let his secretary in.

Dongho seriously debates if he should even go in when his boss is clearly still naked under his bathrobe, but he can’t think of an escape plan fast enough, so he has no choice but to comply.

He goes straight for the living area, making himself busy with arranging his laptop on the coffee table in an attempt to distract himself from numbly following the drops of water running down his boss’ neck on a path to his exposed collarbone.

Again.

Only last time he watched those drops running all over his naked body.

_How am I going to survive this night?_

Dongho hears the bathroom door closing and heaves a sigh of relief. He sits on the floor, much like the last time they were together working in Minhyun’s hotel room, crossing his legs to wait for his boss’ return.

Minhyun doesn’t take long, coming back out with a towel in hand, rubbing it messily on the side of his head to dry his hair, wearing what looks like a very comfortable pair of sweatpants and a white shirt, which is still clutching to his badly dried chest.

“So, that was embarrassing.” Minhyun tries to break the tension but his red ears give him away.

Dongho snorts, caught off guard by his boss’ sincere statement.

“Understatement of the year, but thanks for pointing it out.”

Minhyun smirks, running his hand a few times through his wet hair as if to comb it, coming closer to Dongho before sitting down on the floor like him, on the other side of the mahogany coffee table.

“You think we can work after that?” His boss asks amusedly.

Dongho rolls his eyes, holding back a smile. “I think I’ll manage, sir.”

They start slow, with Minhyun going over a few points he intended to clarify for his secretary’s benefit before he’s thrown headfirst in a meeting with business sharks in a few days. When their attention is fully back on track (and not on the previous awkward situation), the rest of the meeting goes smoothly, with Dongho getting increasingly more comfortable being around his boss.

When they’re just working together like this, throwing back and forth reasonable arguments about anything related to the topic at hand and Minhyun is not being his complete and utter asshole self and gives Dongho space to counterargument anything he says, Dongho finds he may not hate his job all that much.

“Why can’t you be present in this meeting?” Dongho asks, eyes glued on his computer as he types an email to Jonghyun with a few questions about the PowerPoint presentation done for this meeting.

“I have a meeting with the CEO.” Minhyun waits for Dongho to finish while folding the still wet towel on his lap.

“You mean with your father?” Dongho smiles without looking at his boss.

Minhyun hums. “You could say that.”

That makes Dongho glance in his direction. “So it’s not work related?”

“You seem interested. Want to go with me?”

“Should I?” The secretary raises both eyebrows, slightly startled, making Minhyun snort.

“You’d be bored to death.” He shakes his head, one side of his mouth turning up.

“Oh, thank god.” Dongho deflates in relief, releasing all the air from his lungs.

Minhyun jokingly throws his wet towel at him. “That doesn’t mean you won’t have to accompany me to a few meetings with him.” Dongho sputters when the towel hits his face and he almost throws it back at his boss but thinks better of it. “Wrap this up already, I’m going to call room service.”

His boss raises himself off the floor to go get the restaurant menu, and Dongho’s eyes follow him, musing to himself how it’d be much nicer to deal with Minhyun’s work-driven compulsion if he acted like a decent person instead of as if he walked around with a stick up his ass most of the time.

Back at the task at hand, Dongho finishes composing his email and sends it to Jonghyun, hoping his other superior won’t notice the timestamp on it. It’s way past midnight and Dongho is ready to pass out, either from exhaustion or from hunger.

“I’m starving,” Dongho moans dramatically, closing his laptop and crossing his arms over it to lean his forehead heavily on them.

Minhyun looks over at him and smiles fondly at his antics, but Dongho doesn’t catch it since his head is currently resting on his arms. The CFO calls room service, requesting a few dishes Dongho had never heard of, and some he had, but the secretary has one single worry about the food order.

“Bread! Do they have bread?” He sleepily raises his head to look at his boss with a blotchy red mark on his forehead due to his previous position. Minhyun consents, trying to hold back a smile until Dongho leans his head back down.

The secretary could easily fall asleep like this. The silence in the room, save for Minhyun’s soft voice on the phone, and the warm low light coming from the fireplace casting shadows on the room make for a cozy atmosphere, and not even the uncomfortable position could stop him from going under because he’s just too tired to care.

So that’s exactly what he does, snoring softly with his head pillowed on his crossed arms over his laptop on Minhyun’s coffee table.

* * *

It’s around 3 am when Dongho wakes up and instead of feeling the telltale crick on his neck from falling asleep in that weird position a couple of hours earlier, he finds his head resting on a soft pillow, his body warm as if in a cocoon.

He opens his eyes and looks around the darkened room bleary-eyed, trying in vain to tame down his wild hair. There’s a lump on Minhyun’s bed, which Dongho assumes is his boss’ sleeping body, so he carefully rises off the floor, the soft covers that had been warming his body falling unceremoniously on the ground.

Dongho is silently gathering his things to go back to his room when his stomach rumbles loudly in protest, and the secretary urgently tries to shush it like it’s a real person to avoid waking up his boss.

“You should eat.” A tired voice comes from the armchair close to the floor-to-ceiling windows, startling Dongho, who may or may not have shrunk slightly in alarm.

“What the fuck!” Dongho clutches his heaving chest.

Minhyun gets up, an amused yet exhausted smile on his lips, coming closer to turn on the gas fireplace.

“The food is cold but I think it’s still edible.”

Dongho is starving but he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to stay.

“It’s okay, sir, I already intruded enough.” His eyes traitorously stray to all the plates covered by cloches on the dining table.

“Come eat.” Minhyun ends the argument by grabbing Dongho by the wrist and dragging him unceremoniously towards the table, pushing him down onto one of the chairs before going around it to sit across from him. “Eat. I ordered all this food for you anyway.”

“Are you calling me fat again?” Still a little groggy after having just woken up, Dongho asks while reaching for the bread, cutting it in half to spread some unknown jam on it.

“Don’t make me shove this bread down your throat, Dongho,” Minhyun deadpans.

“Kang,” he corrects out of habit.

“_Dongho._” Minhyun’s tone makes the secretary’s eyes snap up his to stare at him, bread halfway to his mouth. “I want you to be Dongho when it’s just the two of us.”

Dongho holds Minhyun’s gaze, lowering the food back to his plate, and he takes a moment to ponder if he could possibly still be asleep, or if he’s maybe imagining the way his boss is intensely staring at him. He remembers this exact same look on Minhyun’s face when they had gone shopping in Seoul but, back then, the secretary had been sure he’d only imagined it. He’s not so sure now.

This thought makes him wonder if he missed any other lingering glance just because he wasn’t paying enough attention.

“Are you going to be Minhyun, then?” Dongho asks lightly and ignores his rapidly beating heart to finally take a bite of his sandwich.

“Do you want me to be?” The corners of Minhyun’s mouth rise up in amusement, pushing another plate of food in his secretary’s direction.

“Well,” he swallows his bite and stops the plate from getting any closer by resting his free hand on the cloche covering it, giving the Minhyun a stern glance. “I don’t know what you’re going to be. What I do know is that I don’t want to be anyone’s mistake.”

The almost-there smile completely drops from Minhyun’s face and the CFO closes his eyes for a moment as if trying to control his frustration before replying snappily.

“Can you let this _go_?”

Dongho stares Minhyun dead in the eyes and uses the flat surface of the table for leverage, resting both hands on it to push his chair back and stand up without breaking eye contact. “No, _sir_, I can’t. Thanks for dinner.”

The plates and cutlery clink noisily when Minhyun abruptly stands up to go after him, his long legs marching quickly to reach Dongho before he manages to get his things and leave. The secretary is almost at the coffee table when Minhyun seizes him firmly by the arm, halting Dongho’s angry strides and making him turn around to face him.

Without thinking, Dongho shakes him off roughly but Minhyun doesn’t relent and grabs his arm again, this time dragging him closer until their bodies are touching, his other hand urgently coming up to hold Dongho by his nape, and that completely stops Dongho from shoving him off like he meant to.

From up close, the secretary glances at Minhyun’s parted lips and notices, for the first time, his boss’ slightly labored breathing and catches his pink tongue coming out to nervously lick his dry lips. Witnessing that startles Dongho into averting his eyes, but he ends up getting caught in Minhyun’s intense stare. This time, he’s not able to look away.

“Yes...” Minhyun murmurs softly, a touch of urgency in his voice, their faces so close Dongho can almost feel his boss’ warm breath on his lips.

“Yes, Dongho, I can be Minhyun for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe all the love his story is getting, honestly. thank you so much for leaving such kind (and sometimes funny) comments, they mean the world to me and keep me motivated to write more. i hope you continue to like this story and i'm still available on twitter if you'd like to scream at me or become friends :D just hmu @ohminhyunnie <3
> 
> oh, and next update might come a little later than usual, so i ask for your understanding ó_ò


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys aljdhlsfljsdhas scroll down for a surprise!  
happy reading! <3

_“Yes...” Minhyun murmurs softly, a touch of urgency in his voice, their faces so close Dongho can almost feel his boss’ warm breath on his lips. “Yes, Dongho, I can be Minhyun for you.”_

Dongho can barely believe his ears. His startled eyes blink a few times, but otherwise remain glued to Minhyun’s determined ones, feeling his heart hammering in his chest while he tries to make sense of what just happened.

When did this actually start? It has been less than a week for Dongho, but it feels like this strained situation has been going on for much longer. Ever since Minhyun made that off-handed comment about Dongho being more pleasant to look at than his other subordinate, the secretary hasn’t been able to think about anything else but how much he wants Minhyun now, and when he tries to distract himself with work, he doesn’t achieve anything because his biggest problem _is_ work-related.

It really has been just a few days since Dongho was made to realize that he has one of the most beautiful men in Korea bossing him around. Even if Dongho’s not really one to go for looks over personality, it’s impossible to ignore how enticing Minhyun smells, how his mere presence can be overpowering, and how surprisingly nice he is when he’s not actively trying to be an unreasonable asshole.

Dongho is going insane with this push-and-pull situation, and all he really wants is to finally get Minhyun off his system and _move on_, but when Minhyun finally gives him what he wants, he can’t find it in himself to go forward. Dongho knows how hard-headed his boss is, so he’s shocked into absolute silence when he finally gets the reaction he had been mentally begging for but one which he didn't ever expect to receive.

The secretary’s mouth hangs slightly open, surprise written all over his face, but he still catches Minhyun’s eyes tracing his features until they stop on his mouth and sees him starting to lean in for what Dongho assumes is a kiss.

Dongho stops him from coming any closer by placing a finger softly over his boss’ lips, taking a deep breath to try to calm his wildly beating heart.

“Are you going to leave again if I kiss you... Minhyun?” the secretary asks into the quiet room, trying out the name, his eyes never leaving his boss.

Minhyun eyes him intensely, the hand still holding Dongho by the back of the head sliding up between his hair strands in a caress, only for his short nails to scratch Dongho’s scalp delicately, and his fingers to tighten ever-so-slightly without warning on Dongho’s hair, eliciting a soft gasp from the other man who closes his eyes involuntarily.

“No, I want to stay and make you say my name like that, over and over.” With his eyes shut, Dongho hears Minhyun’s voice so close to his ear it makes him shiver.

Dongho hesitates, opening his eyes in an attempt to clear his head, peering at Minhyun over his already obvious arousal. “If you leave again, I swear to God I’m goin—”

Minhyun doesn’t wait for Dongho to finish. He lets his urge to kiss the other man finally take over, coming forward at once to urgently press his lips against Dongho’s, eager to taste his sweet mouth. Minhyun’s hand once again tightens in Dongho’s hair, making the secretary moan in surprise, and Minhyun takes the opportunity to push his tongue between his parted lips, tilting his head to fit their mouths perfectly together.

Dongho dazedly lets him take control, feeling Minhyun’s arm snake around his waist, pressing their bodies close from hips to chest while his tongue forces Dongho’s mouth to open wider to take his demanding kiss, and that’s when the secretary realizes they’re taking a very dangerous and familiar route.

Before he lets himself overthink, Dongho turns his head away, catching Minhyun by surprise when he stops the kiss. He pushes Minhyun off him, effectively dislodging their bodies, making Minhyun take a few steps back to catch his balance. Now standing closer to his neatly-made bed, in his rumpled clothes and with his lips still wet from the rushed kiss, his boss looks so lost that Dongho wishes he could capture it in a picture to keep for eternity.

Hwang Minhyun looking uncertain? That has to be worth some big cash.

“What—Dongho, I thought—”

“I don’t know what you thought, Minhyun, but if this is happening, it’s going to be on my terms.”

Dongho licks his lips, still tasting the other man on them, and he catches Minhyun’s eyes snapping to follow the path his tongue takes across his plump bottom lip. If Dongho was unsure about this, he’s not anymore.

With his blood rushing loudly in his ears, the secretary walks closer to his boss, stopping in front of him and basking in the fact that Minhyun doesn’t raise his hands to touch him again. Dongho takes a deep breath and looks up at Minhyun, staring him in the eyes and he notices Minhyun’s pupils blown so wide in his arousal that his eyes almost look completely overtaken.

Dongho lightly presses his hand on Minhyun’s chest and pushes him down on the bed, making him sit on it. With Minhyun avidly following his every move, Dongho takes off his hoodie and his shirt at once, letting Minhyun’s eyes drink him in.

“Dongho…” His boss almost begs, his voice coming off as a low murmur, his hands closing to fist on the duvet to prevent himself from touching his secretary like he really wants to.

“What do you want?” Dongho’s whisper sounds loud in the silent room.

He steps even closer to Minhyun, standing between his parted legs, looking down at him expectantly. Dongho sees Minhyun hesitating and that almost makes him laugh, though Minhyun still catches him on it, his face hardening for a moment.

“I want to fuck you,” Minhyun says bluntly, his hands coming up to hold Dongho’s waist, his cold palms making Dongho shiver when they travel up the expanse of his toned chest, his fingers mapping Dongho’s tattoos.

Dongho snorts scornfully to mask his nerves. “I don’t think you’ll be the one doing the fucking here.”

That makes Minhyun stop and look up at him, a devious smirk slowly taking over his lips. “We’ll see.”

The secretary suddenly gives him a full belly laugh, the tension finally leaving his body over their playful banter, and Minhyun takes the opportunity to tug him closer the rest of the way, making him tumble forward and straddle his thighs on the bed.

Dongho braces his fall on Minhyun’s shoulders, but soon his hands naturally come up to cradle Minhyun’s face, staring him in the eyes with a tentative smile tugging his lips. This time, without hesitation, he leans down to cover Minhyun’s mouth with his, his tongue slipping inside to taste the other man’s willing mouth.

Minhyun’s arms envelop Dongho’s slim waist and, slowly, the smile slips off Dongho’s lips, the kiss getting increasingly heated as Minhyun flattens his hands on Dongho’s lower back and possessively slides them down to grab a handful of his ass, making Dongho gasp against his mouth.

“Finally…” Dongho’s breathes heavily when Minhyun pulls him closer, hugging him even tighter, and he instinctively rubs his crotch down against Minhyun’s hardening cock, eliciting a moan from the man under him.

That sound coming from his stuck-up boss makes him want to do more to completely wipe out his usually impassive persona, so he lets himself slide one of his hands in Minhyun’s hair to yank his head back, and he drags his lips across the other man’s exposed jawline, leaving a path of wet kisses until he reaches his neck, and his boss surprisingly lets him.

“Say my name, Dongho…” Minhyun moans breathlessly, his hands running all over Dongho’s back, only to find themselves back at the other man’s ass, gripping firmly to pull him in.

With his cock already so hard between his parted legs, Dongho can’t help himself when he pushes Minhyun flat down on the bed and braces his hands on each side of his head, using the leverage to keep on grinding his hips against Minhyun’s, making them both moan wantonly when their clothed members rub against each other more firmly.

“Minhyun...” Dongho whispers his name, their eyes locked in obvious desire, the secretary moving his hips deliberately against the length of Minhyun’s most sensitive skin.

Dongho keeps on staring at the man under him, his eyes heavy lidded with lust, chanting Minhyun’s name lowly like a prayer, while the other man gazes up at him in silence saved for his heavy breathing, using his both hands on his ass to urge him forward, compelling him to keep on thrusting against his crotch, and Dongho is suddenly struck by how much he wants the other man.

“Fuck, Minhyun…” He says again because he can, and he lowers himself back down in a rush, capturing Minhyun’s mouth in a searing kiss, sighing when he feels Minhyun’s lips part for him, sweet and moist, letting their tongues slide together seeking each other’s taste. Minhyun’s hands tighten on his ass for a moment and it’s so hot between their bodies that Dongho is almost going crazy with want.

Dongho relents after he’s satisfied with how wrecked he leaves Minhyun, sucking the other man’s bottom lip in his mouth, biting it softly and letting it slip free from between his teeth only when it’s plump and red.

Minhyun’s licks Dongho’s bottom lip obscenely before he raises his head off the bed and pushes his tongue back inside Dongho’s mouth, catching the other man off guard and taking the opportunity to flip their positions on the bed.

“My turn.” Minhyun smirks, his voice rough with obvious desire, and he pushes Dongho back on the bed, climbing over him.

Bracing himself with one hand, Dongho laughs breathlessly and grabs Minhyun by the back of the head using the other, keeping him close while he lets the other man get comfortable between his legs, their hips moving as if they’re already fucking, their pants moist with their precome and sticking to their skin.

“Off,” Minhyun murmurs against his mouth, tugging on Dongho’s pants, looking regretful when he has to step back off the bed to unceremoniously drag the other man’s sweatpants down, leaving him naked.

His eyes travel up Dongho’s body, his pupils blown wide while he drinks him in, and Minhyun has to grab his whipping cock in one hand to tug it firmly down before he comes from the sight alone.

Feeling extremely exposed but trying not to let it show, Dongho raises himself into a sitting position, pulling Minhyun closer by the string tying his sweatpants, and while he stares up at the man standing between his parted legs, Dongho pushes Minhyun’s pants down to let them fall on the floor in a pool around his feet.

Without taking his eyes off him, Dongho lies back down, his exposed body on display now supported by his elbows, and he cocks an eyebrow at his boss, waiting for him to get back on the bed.

“You look—” Minhyun catches himself, stopping mid-sentence, and wastes no time stepping out of his pants, now completely naked but showing no signs of concern about his modesty.

Minhyun braces his knees on the bed, using them to push Dongho’s legs wider apart as Dongho lays back the rest of the way, his eyes never leaving the other man as he lowers himself, covering Dongho’s body with his and letting their bare skin finally meet, resuming their sensual dance against each other’s bodies.

“I look what?” Dongho gasps and tries to maintain eye contact but he can barely keep his eyes open, waiting for a continuation for Minhyun’s unfinished sentence.

Thin layers of sweat cover their skin and Dongho’s body is buzzing with his barely-repressed need to touch. He lays his hands on Minhyun’s shoulders and lets them slide down the other man’s flat front, touching his skin urgently, his thumbs only stopping to nudge Minhyun’s nipples, and he feels more than he hears Minhyun’s moan against his ear.

“Fuck, Dongho… I need you to touch me, I’m so hard…” Minhyun babbles lowly, his voice laced with need, not answering Dongho’s inquiry.

“Yeah… I’m—” Having closed his eyes without noticing, Dongho nods in a daze and forgets all about his question “I want to kiss you,” he grumbles while blindly raising his mouth to find Minhyun’s, his lips first tasting the sweaty skin of Minhyun’s chin before their mouths meet in a fevered kiss.

Minhyun’s hand comes up to hold him by his nape, supporting his head while he tilts his own to better fit their mouths together, wetly licking the depths of Dongho’s mouth, as if trying to commit the other man’s taste to memory.

Dongho continues his exploration, his touch going lower on Minhyun’s abdomen when, finally, one of Dongho’s hands worms its way between their bodies, his palm up and his fingers heading down, until his fist finally closes around Minhyun’s most sensitive skin. Dongho grips the hard length in his hand, his own chest heaving with how hard he’s breathing between kisses and Minhyun holds Dongho’s sweaty hair more firmly in his hand when he finally feels the other man’s touch.

“I want to come all over you…” His boss drags his lips down Dongho’s throat, his teeth scratching the skin there, making Dongho shiver. “I want to mark your soft skin…” Minhyun bites him where his neck meets his shoulder, leaving an obvious mark there, but Dongho is too far gone to notice.

Minhyun starts pumping his hips back and forth into Dongho’s closed fist, the head of his cock catching slightly against the other man’s abdomen, smearing his precome on his skin, and Dongho grunts with his own need for release. He lifts his free hand off Minhyun’s back and obscenely licks his palm, coating it with saliva before fitting it snugly between their bodies alongside his other hand, enveloping their hard lengths together in both of his palms.

Dongho finally lets his head fall back on the bed, granting even more space for Minhyun’s ministrations, baring his throat for Minhyun to glide his tongue on his Adam’s apple, and his lust-filled brain is in no state to notice all the bite marks the other man is leaving on his skin.

The secretary clumsily braces his feet on the bed to use it as leverage to raise his hips and fuck his dick in his own fist against Minhyun’s, and it’s slick and messy and perfect and Dongho feels his eyes watering in ecstasy as his body spasms with how close he is to coming.

Minhyun raises his head to stare dazedly down at Dongho, his parted lips panting and grunting while he keeps on rocking his hips against Dongho’s, their bodies a sweaty mess, when he suddenly smiles at Dongho, raising his hand off the bed to carelessly push the other man’s wet hair off his forehead.

“_What_?” The secretary grunts as he turns his face to the side, feeling himself blush over the sweet gesture, and he can’t help but think how absurd it is that he managed to keep himself together until Minhyun decided to show some affection.

His boss shakes his head and catches Dongho’s chin in a soft grasp, making him turn his face back in his direction to gaze at Dongho with that same dazed smile until the other man yields.

The secretary rolls his eyes and grips his hands tighter around both their cocks as payback, making Minhyun close his eyes in ecstasy, feeling his cock spurt even more precome all over them.

“I’m so close…” Minhyun whimpers, resting his forehead over Dongho’s, his body now supported by his elbows, and his hand never leaves the back of the other man’s head, his fingers between his wet hair strands in a distracted caress.

“Minhyun, please—” Dongho begs against his mouth, his tongue coming out to lick the other man’s salty lips, sucking his bottom lip like he can’t get enough of Minhyun’s taste.

Dongho takes the opportunity to peer at his boss from a short distance and, for a lucid second, he can’t believe they’re actually doing this.

The thought doesn’t last long when his mind finally goes blank first, his whole body spasming as the pleasure of his orgasm hits him, liquid and fire racing through his whole body at once, and like that he’s coming, hot spurts hitting both their bodies as Dongho throws his head back, moaning Minhyun’s name.

While feeling the aftershocks of his orgasm, with his body still trembling, his hands slack a little around their cocks and Minhyun whimpers at the loss, rubbing his dick down on the sticky mess Dongho just made on his own stomach.

“Come on… Come for me, Minhyun,” Dongho whispers and opens his legs wider, allowing Minhyun more room for his lust-driven movements, his hips thrusting rapidly against Dongho’s wet skin until he’s finally coming, his body going stiff for a moment as he reaches his release, only for him to seal his mouth over Dongho’s to muffle his own wanton moans of pleasure as his orgasm overtakes him in hot, delirious waves.

Minhyun licks the inside of Dongho’s mouth possessively as he slowly stills his hips, the hand behind Dongho’s head bringing him closer as if he can’t keep himself away, and Dongho finally lets him have his way.

They are both shaking, their bodies a mess of body fluids, but Dongho thinks he’s never been this satisfied after an orgasm, his arms coming up to wrap around Minhyun’s waist, hugging him closer as the kiss becomes softer, with Minhyun finally giving in to his body’s demand to rest.

His boss rolls to the side after a soft, lingering, final peck on Dongho’s lips, not going far from Dongho, and the secretary catches the other man staring silently at the ceiling by the corner of his eyes.

Everything suddenly becomes awkward, at least for Dongho, and he doesn’t know what to do with himself and his naked body full of rapidly cooling come.

Minhyun’s chest is still heaving when Dongho raises his body into a sitting position and starts to drag himself off the bed, but his boss’s hand suddenly covering his stops him short, making him turn to glance first at their hands together on the duvet, then over at his boss’ frown.

“Where are you going?” Minhyun croaks.

“I have your come all over me.” Dongho raises his eyebrows as if that’s enough explanation.

Biting his lip, Minhyun doesn’t look like he’s really buying it, but he lets the other man leave the bed, and as soon as he lets go of Dongho’s hand, the secretary wraps himself with a discarded sheet to cover his modesty and rushes inside the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

So that happened.

A little lost after everything, Dongho sees himself in the mirror and flinches when he catches sight of all the bright red marks left all over his neck. He touches them delicately and feels the flesh still sensitive, letting out a barely repressed whimper.

How the fuck is he going to hide that tomorrow for their flight?

Scratch that, how is he going to hide that from Minki when they go straight from the airport to the office?

Looking down mournfully, he finally takes a look at his come-filled body, the fluid already drying on his skin. He should take a shower while he’s there, since that was his excuse to leave the bedroom and the mess they made behind (and he’s not even referring to the one on their skin and sheets, that one is easy to deal with).

Dongho takes a long shower, taking all the time he needs to try and clear his head, and he is immensely thankful when he finds a clean bathrobe to put on after. He couldn’t even think of facing the other man (his _boss_) while wrapped in a thin layer of cotton again.

He leaves the bathroom after carelessly combing his hair back with his fingers, only to find Minhyun sitting on the bed with his legs crossed, wearing his previously-discarded pants and apparently disregarding the need for a shirt and, most surprisingly, with a small tray of breakfast food in front of him.

The sight shouldn’t look as enticing as it is.

“I noticed you liked bread so I thought of calling room service for a very early breakfast…” Minhyun tries to appear dismissive and uninterested, and he would’ve been successful if it weren’t for the little cracks Dongho’s able catch in his usually-composed mask, Minhyun’s voice sounding tentative, maybe even a little hopeful.

The secretary still doesn’t know what the other man’s true intentions are, but he can finally read Minhyun well enough to understand that he’s asking for Dongho to stay.

Still standing in the middle of the messy room, with most of their clothes in a heap on the floor at the foot of the bed, Dongho hesitates for less than a second before he accepts defeat, letting out a heavy sigh while approaching the bed, his eyes zeroing in on the food when he’s reminded that he was never actually allowed to finish his dinner an hour or so ago.

And he’s so focused on his hunger that he doesn’t notice Minhyun’s small satisfied smile when he concludes Dongho’s staying.

“So you decided to buy more food and now all of that is going to waste?” Dongho asks matter-of-factly, nodding in the direction of the table before gingerly climbing onto the bed, clutching the front of his bathrobe so it won’t open due to his little jerky movements to get closer to the food tray.

His boss looks back towards the food plates still displayed with on the dining table near the window and sighs, quickly catching up to the other man’s stance on this new development in their so-called relationship, glancing back at Dongho who’s already spreading butter on his still-warm bread.

“Do you hate me that much?” Minhyun asks directly and emotionlessly, ripping a grape off its bunch and popping it in his mouth.

Dongho, who had already taken a bite of his food, almost chokes. “Would I have done that with you if I hated you?” He clumsily gestures in the direction of the bed, his mouth still full, exasperation written all over his face.

“Yes, we just had sex, but everything you say is still a jab,” Minhyun replies after swallowing the sweet fruit. “Even if you despise me, can you at least pretend you enjoyed it before you run off?” Minhyun suddenly looks exhausted and Dongho doesn’t know why he feels so ashamed, his face flushed in embarrassment.

“I don’t despise you either,” the secretary mumbles before taking another bite of his slice of bread. “And I’m not running off,” he continues more lowly, but the other man still catches it.

Minhyun doesn’t seem appeased and snorts humorlessly. “Sure you’re not.”

Dongho doesn’t say anything back this time. He’d be lying, even to himself, if he insisted that he didn’t want to escape this supposedly awkward situation as soon as possible. He’s not trying to be a dick, but he still doesn’t know what the other man wants from him (aside from the obvious), and he’s not up to having _that_ kind of conversation again since it went so spectacularly bad the last time he tried.

At least Dongho knows now that Minhyun wanted to have him like that, but now that he got what he wanted, what else is he supposed to think?

The secretary finishes his breakfast in silence, eating quickly before he gets interrupted yet again, and he ends up eating so much he can barely breathe when he’s done, but for the first time he’s not feeling too self-aware about stuffing his mouth like a caveman in front of his boss.

Meanwhile, Minhyun’s eyes track all his movements, and Dongho can’t help but feel a little exposed even with his body completely covered.

As soon as he’s done, Dongho gets off the bed, going straight for his clothes on the floor, his robe still clutched tightly in his hand, but Minhyun’s voice makes him falter in his rush to escape.

“You’re leaving, then?” It should be a question but Minhyun’s intonation makes it sound like a statement instead.

Crouched down with his back to the other man, Dongho takes a deep breath before replying, getting up with his pants and hoodie in his hands while trying to keep what’s left of his dignity intact. “I still have to get ready for our flight tomorrow and check if everything is ready for you, Minhyun.”

Minhyun’s usual impassive features shutters when he realizes the other man is clearly back to being just his secretary, and he looks away before Dongho’s eyes manage to find his.

“That’s fine, Kang. Don’t let me keep you.”

Dongho feels something tighten in his chest and he suddenly finds it a little hard to breathe, but he has no idea why. After what had just happened, he thought some things might have changed between them, but hearing his surname still feels like a slap to the face.

“Of course, sir. Excuse me.”

_You wanted to leave, why are you feeling like this?_, an annoying voice that sounds suspiciously like Minki says in the back of his head. _Maybe you should figure out what you want before making any demands or assumptions._

Standing now in the middle of his own silent room, alone and stripped bare, not only under his bathrobe but of his dignity after leaving Minhyun’s room with his discarded clothes in hand like he’s ashamed of what they did together (which he isn’t, he really, _really_ isn’t), Dongho realizes that he may have majorly fucked up.

* * *

The trip back to Seoul is, without a doubt, the lowest point in Dongho’s career after getting a promotion barely a week ago. In reality, if he is being honest with himself, it had never been quite that bad for him at Hwang Corps, all things considered, until he was thrown in close quarters with Minhyun.

From their awkward first meeting in the hotel lobby that morning (considering Dongho’s abrupt departure from Minhyun’s room after sleeping with him the night before), to Minhyun turning his back on him as soon as Dongho finishes taking care of their luggage after they land in Seoul, every moment they are forced to stay together is accompanied by a tense atmosphere filled with strained conversation, nonsensical demands from his boss and altogether avoidance from Minhyun whenever he can.

Minhyun continues to ignore him for most of the flight, barely looking his way, and he doesn’t start any sort of conversation aside from the occasional clipped request for Dongho to get his luggage or to find their designated driver, so Dongho feels worse than useless.

When Dongho started working for Hwang Corps more than a year ago, he was quick to catch up on the fact that the big boss’ son was very strict and overbearing, so Dongho always tried to stay in line since he actually needed the job. However, their boss-employee relationship still was always a little tense, what with Dongho’s short temper and the fact he often lacked formality, combined with Minhyun’s general asshole nature.

Yet, even with their confrontational record, their office cohabitation was never so awful as to make Dongho feel like he wasn’t wanted or needed, and that is exactly the impression he gets during the whole trip back.

Dongho knows for a fact that Minhyun needs someone to review several reports regarding the first week of sales of the new line of products launched by Hwang Corps’ most profitable beauty branch in Korea, which had happened right before Dongho had gotten his promotion as Hwang Minhyun’s executive secretary and had left on this business trip with him.

Dongho is certain he is the right person to go over those papers because he is very intimate with those reports, since he was the accountant responsible for gathering all the data needed for the launch and for giving Minhyun the go-ahead back then.

But when all Minhyun does is ask for him to push his luggage around, Dongho honestly feels like he ruined everything he had accomplished so far after making the wrong decision of sleeping with his boss.

Dongho had decided to apologize to Minhyun for his immature behavior the night before and to maybe ask if he could do anything to make up for it, but after being shut down so firmly as soon as they had met that morning, and then getting the same sort of treatment throughout their journey back from Hong Kong (with the prospect of being treated like that from now on), Dongho considers leaving Hwang Corps when he realizes he opened up to someone who holds too much power over his professional life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you guys see that art? DID YOU GUYS SEE THAT omg guys lljasjdhflaljashdlsdfa it's so beautiful and i'm so flattered Neena offered to draw a cover for this story. truly, i cannot express how thankful i am for this gift! please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art! <3
> 
> and once again, an enormous thanks to Akane who had to beta this chapter without any proof reading on my part. <3
> 
> btw, i hope you enjoyed the porn. i bet you have nothing to complain about this time, heh? [laughs nervously and hides] come fight me on twitter @ohminhyunnie


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta-ed by Akane, the person who keeps me constantly motivated bc she reads everything beforehand lol 
> 
> and i’m also constantly thankful to elaine, my fiancee, who's now finally reading this story (hi, bb!) and says it's completely different from helping me come up with plot lol
> 
> cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!

Dongho doesn’t actually quit his job. Of course he doesn’t.

He would if he could, but he can’t.

He still has to help support his mother so that he and brother can finally make her retire for good because he can’t have her constantly ending up at the hospital due to her chronic back pain. He also still has to pay the last of his school debts, and, worst of all, Dongho now has not only a new financial debt, but also a personal one to settle with a person even more difficult to deal with than the usual soul sucking credit corporations.

After overthinking himself sick, Dongho doesn’t think he’s being dramatic for feeling sorry for himself. He simply understands now that he overreacted that night when he left Minhyun’s room so brusquely, and that he probably fucked up everything he had accomplished so far between them, both professionally and romantically (if he could call it that).

He also knows Minhyun’s attitude towards him in the morning after was still inexcusable because they were both consenting adults who were well-aware of their relationship status, and even if Dongho had handled the situation poorly after they were done, Minhyun should’ve acted like a professional and treated him accordingly when they went back to their usual boss/employee relationship.

So after basically being ridiculed, Dongho wishes he regretted giving in to Minhyun advances.

He does regret it, in some ways, but how can he be completely remorseful of that night, of the way Minhyun touched him and how he was so willing to give anything Dongho wanted? How can he regret it when he can still taste Minhyun on his lips, on his tongue, the taste of the sweat coating his skin; he still vividly remembers his smell, the feeling of his hands all over Dongho, urgent and possessive, like having him in that moment was the only thing that mattered?

Dongho still carries all the marks left by the other man on his body. That morning, he was barely able to hide the love bites on his neck, having to rush to the drugstore across the street from their hotel to buy some cheap make-up to try to cover them. Even now, his skin still feels tender to the touch.

And Dongho would be a hypocrite if he put all the blame of this bitter disclosure on the other man alone. Sure Minhyun is an asshole, but that didn’t stop Dongho from wanting him all the same. He knew from the start what he was getting himself into, and he embraced it like the fool that he is.

Deep down, Dongho fears that he’ll do it all over again if given the chance, because a tiny voice in the back of his head doesn’t let him forget he hadn’t actually wanted for their brief yet clashing encounter to stop there. And whenever Dongho tries to ignore that voice, it grows louder, overwhelming his thoughts and making him acknowledge, at least to himself, that he longs for more than what they were barely able to achieve before everything got cut short by a combination of a badly-handled situation and its subsequent backlash.

He quietly accepts the fact that he still wishes to find out what Minhyun is really like when he isn’t trying so hard to be a terrible person (after having glimpses of it) and, most of all, he yearns to know what the other man wants from him after all.

He yearns, even if he already missed his chance.

He really is a fucking fool.

So in summary, the executive secretary forces himself to swallow down his disappointment over the whole ordeal, decides to prove his worth again as a professional to his boss, and maybe learn how to deal with his bruised ego (heart) whenever he has to face the other man.

* * *

He went back home straight from the airport after Minhyun dismissed him for the day with the excuse of letting him have the day off (and that’s another slap to the face he had to deal with), so Dongho spent the rest of the day mourning all the choices he’d made so far and also the ones he was probably foolish enough to make again.

When he goes back to the office the next day, it feels surreal to be back where all this mess started.

Minki is in an external conference with his own boss for the day, and Dongho is left alone for the first time since he started working for Hwang Corps, all because Minhyun doesn’t call for him, not even once during the whole day.

The secretary checks his boss’ online planner and confirms that Minhyun really has a packed schedule with the CEO for the rest of the week. He also confirms that he will also be mostly busy with more meetings with his father (like he mentioned), and with a handful of conferences with the representatives of the beauty brand Dongho should’ve reviewed the papers for but wasn’t asked to do so.

Dongho catches a few businessmen and women come and go from Minhyun’s office throughout the day, all dressed impeccably just like Minhyun himself, and the secretary realizes having only four good suits won’t do for the long run. He debates on it before leaving the office on his lunch break to get a few more suits from the department store, ones that at least won’t look too hand-me-down.

He knows he holds a different position in the company now and if he’s going to prove to his boss that he’s a damn good employee, he’ll have to compromise in some ways, even if it means dressing himself a little better. Still, he’s not about to spend the money he has to send back home on clothes for that asshole to acknowledge him.

So he goes out alone with his questionable fashion sense and with no one to supervise, and he buys four more suits, hoping for the best.

* * *

When Dongho gets to the office the next morning, wearing one of his new suits—a dark gray one that caught his attention at the store yesterday—he opens his inbox to finally find an email from his boss.

(no subject)  
Fri, 23 May, 23:33 (9 hours ago)  
**Hwang Minhyun** [hwang.m@hwangcorps.co.kr]  
to: me

Meet me in my office at the end of the day after your meeting with Jonghyun.

**Hwang Minhyun**  
Chief Financial Officer  
+82 2-2600-3844  
63 Building, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

It sounds ominous as fuck, but if he’s getting fired after leaving his boss hanging after sex, at least he will know for sure what will happen to him; at least he will finally be able to get out of this limbo of being underused by the company (and wanting to have that man all the same), even if it had only been a couple of days of that.

He realizes with a start, right after his lunch break, that he’s having his first meeting with Jonghyun today, with half an hour left to go over all the remaining details for next week’s meeting that he will have to attend on behalf of Minhyun. Somehow, in the middle of all his messy personal matters, Dongho completely forgets about this important meeting, and he ends up annoyed at himself for his lack of professionalism, cramming everything he had learned from Minhyun in the last few minutes he has before heading to his superior’s private office two floors below.

In the conglomerate ranking, Aron-ssi and Jonghyun-ssi come just under Minhyun himself, and if Dongho’s being honest, it’s nerve-wracking to have a meeting with such high-ranking executive he barely knows, all by himself. Dongho had heard from Minki that Jonghyun-ssi is a very nice person, but as Hwang Corps’ Information Security Director, he’s also ruthless towards other business companies and that he takes his job very seriously.

Besides, he can’t really forget that Jonghyun was the one who paid for his mother’s hospital bills (with Minhyun’s money, but still) and someone his strong-headed brother felt the need to call to pass over his thanks for the man’s generosity and kindness.

That’s basically all Dongho knows about him, so when Dongho arrives at Jonghyun’s office and is allowed to come in by his secretary, Dongho doesn’t know how he’s going to face (and thank) his superior without being ashamed of what he might think of him and of the fact that their boss basically ordered him to go give Dongho’s family some cash.

“Dongho, come in.” Jonghyun greets him with a pleased smile, standing up from his chair. “Nice to finally meet you.”

Dongho blushes at least a thousand shades of red and approaches the other man’s desk to accept his outstretched hand in a firm handshake. “I could say the same, sir.”

Jonghyun laughs and it’s a very pleasing sound. “Let’s drop formalities. Aren’t we the same age? Your brother told me everything about you.” There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes that make Dongho inexplicably nervous.

“Of course, si—Jonghyun-ssi.” Dongho stutters, unused to this laidback atmosphere in the office. “Uh, should I ask what else my brother told you?”

The other man sits back down, a tranquil laugh making his body rumble pleasantly, and he motions for Dongho to sit down on one of the other vacant chairs in front of his office desk.

“Don’t worry. And just Jonghyun is enough, Dongho.” He shakes his head with a smile, insisting on this lack of formalities. “But tell me, how’s your mom? Is she home yet?” He asks politely, crossing his arms and resting his elbows on the table, giving Dongho his full attention.

And it’s such a drastic contrast from Minhyun cold behavior Dongho uselessly tries to come up with a good enough response that’s both informal but not too informal since the other man is still one of his superiors.

“Uh, she’s fine—recovering. She has chronic back pain—sir, I’d like to thank you for your time, I know you had to travel all the way to Jeju to help my family and it was so out of line for me to ask—"

“But it wasn’t you who asked, so why are you apologizing for Minhyun?” Jonghyun looks amused when he finally manages to stop Dongho’s nervous rambling.

“He shouldn’t have—I don’t know why he did that.” Dongho confesses, not hiding how confused he still is by the whole thing.

“Minhyun is a difficult person, but he cares deeply for the people close to him.” The Director states simply, sounding serene like he knows Minhyun more than he lets on. “Especially you. He’s been keeping a close eye on you ever since you were hired.”

“He what?” Dongho shoots back quickly and he sounds so shocked and informal it makes Jonghyun laugh and rest back on his chair.

Minhyun had been watching him? _What?!_

“He took notice of your results first, and he had been considering giving you a promotion for a while. I’m glad he finally did it, but I wasn’t the one to tell you this.” Jonghyun jokes, handing Dongho a few papers for them to finally start on the topic of their meeting.

The secretary accepts the file numbly. He feels something dropping hard and fast in his stomach and for a second it feels like little butterfly wings flapping in excitement, until they get crushed by the painful reminder of the aftermath of their night together.

Dongho is more confused than ever, and his wish for more only foolishly grows, even when he’s slapped in the face by the cold reality of his position now, both within Minhyun’s life and within the company.

He still hopes, though, and maybe it’s not too late—

Dongho is snapped out of his thoughts as he hears his phone buzzing on top of Jonghyun’s glass desk where he had left it after sitting down. The other man motions for him to take the message and, unsurprisingly, it’s from his boss.

For just a second, the secretary considers ignoring it, but who is he joking? He quickly clicks on the notification pop-up, getting his password wrong twice before he’s able to unlock his phone, eager to know if Minhyun is finally requesting him in his office to make Dongho drop everything he’s doing to give him a new report to review, or just to be a general asshole, and Dongho’s shocked to realize he actually misses that.

But the message is another kick in the teeth.

My office needs cleaning. Get it done.  
**Hwang Satan [11:29 PM]**

Dongho swallows hard, looking up from his phone to Jonghyun’s expectant eyes, and something must be showing on his face, because suddenly the other man looks worried, frowning and looking back and forth between Dongho and the phone still clutched in the secretary’s hands.

“Is… everything ok?” The Director tentatively asks.

“Sure.” Dongho replies numbly, forcing a smile that clearly doesn’t reach his eyes. “Everything is fine.”

Everything is fucking brilliant.

* * *

Jonghyun lets him leave to take care of Minhyun’s request, although the secretary didn’t have the guts to tell him exactly what was asked, and Dongho’s once again hit by an overwhelming wave of frustration over this unfair treatment. He knows he screwed up but why is Minhyun being so immature about the whole thing?

Is it really going to be like that from now on?

Dongho calls for the cleaning staff and stays with them to supervise their work since there are many confidential files inside Minhyun’s office and he’d rather _not_ listen to Minhyun’s complaints about the results of the cleaning. As soon as he can, though, he goes back to Jonghyun’s office, which is way less glamorous and ostentatious than Minhyun, with no glass walls separating it from the rest of his employees cubicles but still big enough to hold a small space for impromptu meetings such as this and with a great view of the sun shining bright over the Han River.

“I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t mention it.” Jonghyun waves off the apology, motioning for them to sit down on the comfortable looking armchairs surrounding a small coffee table placed close to the floor to ceiling windows. “Should we start?”

“Of course. I know we are having this meeting with our Japanese associates, but I still don’t know who’s coming,” Dongho starts, taking a look at the report he made himself so he wouldn’t forget any important points of this meeting.

“Minhyun didn’t tell you? Akimoto decided to come after your last meeting in Japan.” The Director smiles amusedly.

“Akimoto?” The secretary looks startled. “Hwang Minhyun-ssi didn’t warn me at all. Why would he want to leave me alone with that man? He hates me.” He tries not to whine and mostly accomplishes it.

Jonghyun still laughs, though. “You won’t be alone and Minhyun believes you’ll do well.”

“He’s a sadist.” Dongho says without thinking and almost slaps a hand over his mouth, making Jonghyun laugh even harder.

“I can see why Minhyun is so taken with you. You’re a breath of fresh air.” He shakes his head, passing over the previous files back to the secretary.

Dongho takes the documents while frowning, and he makes himself not read too much into Jonghyun’s words. “What does that mean?”

Jonghyun gives him a knowing smile but doesn’t reply. “You played a number on Akimoto, I’m sure Minhyun wants to see how the man will handle having you leading the meeting.”

“Oh no, I’m not leading it, no way!” The secretary startles, shaking his head vehemently.

“Alright alright, but Akimoto doesn’t know that.” He laughs. “So, do you have any considerations about the report I emailed you?”

Dongho sighs resignedly. “Is this meeting another stunt? Minhyun told me we won’t be signing anything with Akimoto after that fiasco.”

The Director looks at him in surprise, a small smile forming on his lips. “Minhyun was right, you’re smart.”

“Of course I am.” Dongho jokes. “So all the numbers collected by Akimoto’s team were frauded and, in his follow-up report after our meeting in Japan, he tried to put the blame on us.” He recounts from what he was able to gather after his previous meeting with Minhyun. “Basically, we have no concrete proof that he made up those numbers. What are we going to do about it?”

Jonghyun raises his eyebrows. “Put him in jail.”

“How?” Dongho replies seriously.

“That’s what you’re here for.”

The secretary smiles.

“I may know just how.”

* * *

Dongho spends the rest of the afternoon with Jonghyun, and as the clock strikes 5 o’clock, the Director insists on taking him out for coffee to continue their meeting in a less stiffy environment.

They leave the Information Security headquarters to go down to the nearby coffee shop located in the ground floor of their building square, which also holds a vast number of stores conveniently placed close to their office that takes over most of the top floors of Building 63. Jonghyun even offers to have his driver take them somewhere else and, while declining, Dongho asks himself what he’s doing wrong with his life if these 25-year olds already have their own drivers while he can’t even pay all of his bills without a certain amount of struggle.

Jonghyun pays for their drinks, much to Dongho’s dismay, and they choose a table near the window facing the Han River to continue discussing the matters of their upcoming meeting with Akimoto.

“You should prepare a briefing of this meeting so Minhyun can take a look—”

“Already on it,” Dongho replies while opening his laptop on the table, placing his steaming coffee cup on the side.

“Perfect. This way we know where we left off when we get together next time as well.” Jonghyun thumbs his phone on. “How is your schedule next week?”

“Free as a bird, probably,” the secretary states bitterly and takes a sip of his black coffee.

The Director raises his eyes off his phone to steal a glance at him. “Isn’t Minhyun keeping you busy?”

Dongho snorts dismissively and it makes Jonghyun smile with how fast he got used to the lack of formalities between them. “Do you need anything specific for our next meeting?”

Taking a bite of the sandwich he ordered along with his coffee, Jonghyun replies with his mouth still full. “Careful, I might use up all your free time if you’re always this efficient and helpful.”

“I’d be of no use in your team, I know next to nothing about computers, but be my guest,” the secretary jokes, taking a quick look at Jonghyun over his computer screen. Soon, he starts typing away everything they have discussed so far, gathering all the important information in a file to email it to the Director and the CFO.

“Should I steal you, then?”

Dongho’s eyes snap up to meet Jonghyun’s, taken aback by the insinuation, and it must show on his face instantly because the other man starts laughing silently, covering his mouth with a closed fist to make himself stop making a spectacle of the situation.

Meanwhile, Dongho squirms in his chair, having no idea what Jonghyun is up to.

“You should’ve seen your face…” The Director straightens his posture, his laugh subsiding but a smile still on his lips. “I’m sorry for startling you, I swear it wasn’t my intention. I meant that strictly business-wise, but Minhyun would have my head if I even tried.”

The secretary lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The last thing he needed right now was to get into another messy situation in the office. And as much as he finds Jonghyun cute and very approachable, unlike his own asshole boss who seems to be unable to spare a single ‘thank you’, he's not interested in the slightest.

Apparently, Dongho liked them as assholey as they come.

Dongho groans internally with how his thoughts always end up turning back to Minhyun lately and he wonders if maybe he’s broken beyond repair. He laughs humorlessly at himself and takes a deep breath to compose himself, but as soon as he closes his eyes, images of Minhyun come flashing to his mind and he swears he can even smell the other man’s intoxicating scent. He’s able to remember every single detail of their night together, of how warm Minhyun felt all around him, but more than that, he remembers the very few times he forced a smile out of the other man’s usually stony face, and how fucking blindingly beautiful he looks when he’s not holding anything back.

He stomps down on those thoughts that will take him nowhere but will certainly leave him with a broken heart. It’s not like he’s in love with Minhyun or anything, but ever since he was able to acknowledge all the ‘what if’s’ they could have had, he can’t help but mourn the loss of something he had never actually had.

When he opens his eyes, he catches Jonghyun staring intently at him. “Did I make you uncomfortable?” The director asks with a constricted expression.

Shaking his head, the secretary smiles sadly. “No, just thoughtful.”

Jonghyun looks relieved. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Dongho shakes himself and gets back to work, typing the last part of their discussion before they left the building. “You’re going to have to pay way more than that to take a peek inside my head.”

“Ominous.” The Director nods and takes another big bite of his sandwich. “Very good posture for our meeting with Akimoto next week, in fact.”

The secretary snorts, but his buzzing phone inside his pocket makes him falter. He just _knows_ who the fuck is interrupting them again, just when he made himself stop thinking of that asshole.

Why aren’t you working with Jonghyun?  
**Hwang Minhyun [5:14 PM]**

If you went home I'm taking it out of you salary.  
**Hwang Minhyun [5:15 PM]**

...  
I /am/ working with him.  
Jonghyun only took me out for a coffee but we are in the complex  
**Kang Dongho [5:16 PM]**

“Jonghyun”?  
**Hwang Minhyun [5:16 PM]**

Ssi?  
**Kang Dongho [5:17 PM]**

Dongho waits ten long minutes for a reply, but when it doesn’t come, he thinks Minhyun is satisfied with his rectification. He’s still annoyed by the other man’s behavior since they came back from their business trip, so he doesn’t overthink too much (for a change).

“Should we go back?” Jonghyun interrupts his long silence.

The secretary pockets back his phone and nods. “I’m good to go.”

“Okay, then.” Jonghyun looks doubtful but doesn’t mention it, finishing his meal before clapping his hands clean and making grabby motions towards Dongho. “Now give me this laptop. Let me check if you are as good as they say.”

* * *

Dongho stays at work, back in his own desk, doing virtually nothing for three long hours until his boss deems his employee miserable enough to finally call him in his office for their little chat. The secretary has no idea what this is going to be about but seeing as he has to always accompany his boss for as long as he’s working, he supposes he would still be here either way.

For three hours, Dongho watches all his colleagues leave for the day, saying their goodbyes or arranging for a late dinner together at some cheap restaurant. The scene isn’t uncommon to Dongho, who rarely gets to follow them considering how much over time he does and how many times he’s held back by Minhyun.

When he finally enters his boss’ office after being called, he’s tired, hungry and dejected. He can’t believe he fucked up so badly to have to endure this kind of treatment from now on.

“Did you ask to see me, sir?” The secretary asks formally, smiling tightly and making no effort to hide how miserable he feels.

“Are you done? We are going out to dinner,” Minhyun starts without looking up from the papers he’s signing.

Dongho falters in his posture, the smile freezing on his lips. “Excuse me?”

His boss apparently wraps up, twisting his pen closed and pocketing it inside his suit jacket. “Get your things, we are leaving in ten minutes,” he continues, as if Dongho hasn’t said anything, and he doesn’t look up once.

“We are _what_?” Dongho laughs incredulously, checking the time on his wristwatch just to confirm, to himself and to his workaholic boss, that it’s way past his office hours. “Wait a second, is it my boss or Minhyun asking? I’m getting really confused here.” The hint of sarcasm in his tone doesn’t go unnoticed by his boss.

“Are you seeing anyone else around, Dongho?” Minhyun replies tiredly, referring to their alleged agreement to call each other by their first names when they’re alone. He drops the stack of signed papers on the designated case on his desk for Dongho to take care of tomorrow and rests back on his chair, finally looking up at his secretary standing in the middle of his office. “And I wasn’t really asking.” He tries to joke but it clearly backfires.

The forced smile completely slips off Dongho’s face upon hearing his name coming out of the other man’s mouth for the first time since they slept together. “You don't get to call me that if you’re going to be an asshole.”

Minhyun expression hardens. “Even after everything, I’m still your boss.”

The secretary’s body goes rigid at once, almost trembling with how hard he holds back the urge to jump over the other man’s desk to deck him. “Of course, _sir_. Are you leaving now? I’ve been waiting for you to finish with those papers so I could go home.” Dongho tries to sound as formal as he can while gritting his teeth, making it clear that he’s not going anywhere with him.

Minhyun heaves a sigh. “Dongho—”

The secretary cuts him off sharply. “Do you not know when to stop?”

Minhyun snaps his mouth shut and takes another deep breath, visibly trying to remain calm. “Let's not have this discussion here. Go get your stuff so we can leave.”

“I just said I’m _not_—” The secretary shakes his head, frustration coming off in waves from his body. “Of course, sir, how stupid of me.” Dongho fakes a smile that his boss doesn’t miss. “Do you need me to get your suitcase and your coat? Do you need a glass of water before we leave?” he continues in mock politeness.

The other man understands the jab instantly. “You were the one who left.” Minhyun replies tightly, with a constipated look on his face, clearly uncomfortable with having this conversation in the office.

“So that’s your reaction when things don’t go your way? You belittle people to make yourself feel better?” Dongho tries not to raise his voice but he’s already too worked up to stop now. “I’m damn good at my job, _sir_, and sleeping with you does not diminish that. You acted like I didn’t exist the whole week, you cut me off completely from my responsibilities in the office, and now you want to pretend like you can boss me around?”

“Wait—is this actually about this week?” Minhyun frowns in confusion. “I gave you a day off and then I was busy with other appointments. I thought you hated being around me, why are you complaining now?”

“Why do you keep saying that?!” Dongho finally explodes, stepping back, farther away from Minhyun’s desk, ready to leave the room and this whole ordeal behind, regret evident in his painful expression. “You have no idea how I feel!”

His boss’s comeback is quiet and simple, though. “You made your feelings pretty clear to me when you left.”

The urge to flee and all his pent-up anger and frustration suddenly make Dongho’s body go cold with a certain kind of dread. He finally takes in Minhyun’s posture: he looks calm in his big chair, almost regal, but his eyes tell another story and it only serves to make the secretary even more confused.

Dongho averts his eyes from Minhyun’s intense look to stare confusedly at the only light coming from outside his boss's office, which happens to be his own computer screen that remains switched on even after everyone else in this floor has already left for the day.

“I don’t regret sleeping with you.” Dongho stars tentatively, testing the words in his head before actually voicing them. “As much as I should, I don’t. You wanted it and _I_ wanted it—” He laughs breathlessly when the image of Minhyun lying under him on that hotel bed comes flashing to his head, the other man’s sweaty hair a disarray on the sheets while Dongho thrusts against his skin. “But you’re still my boss.” Dongho’s smile turns bitter and he finally chances a look back at Minhyun, who looks at him expectantly. “And I don’t think either of us know how to deal with that.”

Minhyun doesn’t break eye contact when he finally gets up from his chair, coming around his desk to step closer to him. Dongho is suddenly struck by the intensity in Minhyun’s eyes, causing him to freeze on the spot, and he can’t make his legs move to take him out of here, away from the man who has been constantly trying to make him doubt himself, his worth and his decisions.

His boss only stops when he’s too close, close enough that Dongho can feel the heat emanating from his skin and embracing his own body, and the secretary wildly wonders how this man can be so warm when he’s always acting so cold.

“Let me take you to dinner,” Minhyun starts, his voice a low whisper, but it cracks on the last word and it makes him sound breathless and earnest, shocking Dongho. He doesn’t want to read too much into the barely contained urgency in the other man’s voice, but he’s only human and his resolve is weak. “P-please. This can be whatever you want. I’m—I want that. Anything. If you don’t hate me, let me have at least that.”

And just like that, every resolution Dongho has made since they came back go down the drain. Without any kind of warning, Dongho is aching, feeling in his chest a numbing and urgent pain; he yearns for the other man and this realization hits him hard. He chokes back on his own desire, on his longing to have Minhyun, to have him in more ways than one, more than just their bare skin entwined in a lust-induced sway.

Dongho wants Minhyun, irrationally, but he shouldn’t—Minhyun is too unstable and complicated, he’s an overbearing asshole who doesn’t know when to fucking stop, he’s his _boss_. But Dongho wants him, wants to be with him, and coming to that conclusion leaves him so dazed he has to look down in fear of letting the other man see too much.

But Minhyun sees enough.

Or possibly what he hopefully wasn’t expecting to see.

Swallowing hard, Minhyun sees in Dongho’s silent posture the rejection he was hoping wouldn’t come. He steps back like he’s been slapped, and for a second he looks so lost and confused and _betrayed_, and this is so far from Dongho’s real feelings that the secretary falters mid-step, his hand reaching for the other man, but he misses it, watching as Minhyun turns his back on him, going back to his desk.

“Minhyun—” Dongho croaks and stops.

Minhyun doesn’t wait for him to get his bearings. “It’s late, you can go now. I already took too much of your time.”

Dongho is tired of running, of fighting, of lying to himself. He wants to see where this could take them, so tries again, more urgently, speaking over Minhyun. “Please, let me—”

“Go home, Kang.” Minhyun’s tone is low and calm, too calm, and he doesn’t let Dongho finish again, keeping his back turned to him.

Dongho ignores how Minhyun tries to use his surname against him and steps closer, grabbing his arm and making him turn. “Just let me—”

“I told you to fucking leave me alone!” Minhyun hollers, ripping his arm away from Dongho’s grip, and the painful look in his eyes makes the secretary drop his reaching arm limply back to his side.

“Minhyun…” Dongho tries, but he’s too afraid to touch him now, so he watches in silence as the other man turns his back on him once again.

“Leave, Kang,” he says coldly, with a hint of finality. “Leave or you’re fired.”

Dongho watches in silence as Minhyun slowly controls his heavy breathing until his shoulders stop shaking, and, helplessly, Dongho leaves him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't kill me D:
> 
> i'm thinking of updating this story once a week, so maybe every friday or saturday night, kst. but who knows, i might drop a surprise chapter here and there lol 
> 
> thank you so much for enjoying this story and secretary kang ;-; hopefully you'll fall in love with the asshole boss at some point too hehe <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> merry christmas!

The aftermath this time isn’t as bad.

Or so Dongho makes himself believe.

He spends the whole weekend stress eating, mopping, and trying to come up with a game plan for the week ahead, in that specific order. Now that he’s fully aware of what he wants, even if he may have screwed up really badly the last two times they were together, he knows that Minhyun wants him too, in whatever way that may be, and Dongho is willing to give it a chance.

Dongho has no idea where this will take them, but he’s tired of second guessing himself and he wants to get out of this miserable limbo where they make the same mistakes over and over because they can’t fucking communicate like two grown men.

Though when it’s finally Monday again, he finds it’s not that easy to make his boss act like a reasonable enough human being to even listen to him.

“Can we talk?” Dongho asks as soon as he gets to the office, going straight towards Minhyun after checking through the glass walls that he’s alone reading a report.

“I’m busy and you have a meeting in ten minutes,” Minhyun answers without taking his eyes off the paper he’s cross checking.

Dongho furrows his brows in confusion. “How do you know th—”

“Our online schedules are linked,” his boss says, cutting him off mid-sentence, and it sounds like Dongho staying is not up for discussion, even if the secretary knows Jonghyun would be okay if he is a few minutes late for their meeting.

“Okay, then can we talk after that?” Dongho tries again, persistently, his voice firm and without a hint of hesitation, still looking straight at the other man sitting down on his office chair, resting back like he’s not at all troubled by this situation, save for the way his face hardens at Dongho insistence.

Minhyun finally raises his eyes to look at him, but he doesn’t drop the papers in his hands. “Go to your meeting, Kang.”

Dongho feels like he has been slapped and it takes him a second too long to get his bearings, make himself move, and leave the other man’s office.

Minhyun: 1  
Dongho: 0

* * *

The day after, Dongho arrives with his usual coffee cup in hand, but today he also brings a bottle of freshly made grape juice he got from the small coffee shop he always stops by on his way to Hwang Corps.

He gets there earlier than usual before anyone else has arrived, the open space reserved for the lower ranks’ cubicles still empty, so he takes the opportunity to slip inside Minhyun’s office unnoticed to leave the bottle of juice right next to yesterday’s meeting briefing he compiled with Jonghyun and printed for him.

Dongho is back in his desk when his boss arrives fifteen minutes later, not sparing his secretary a single glance before briskly entering his office and closing his door. Dongho watches expectantly as Minhyun takes off his suit jacket before sitting down on his chair, finally taking notice of the drink Dongho bought for him and the papers on top of his desk.

Minhyun frowns, curiously opening the report he has no recollection asking for, when realization finally crosses his features. He then immediately gets up, not hesitating before grabbing the juice bottle already wet with condensation and unceremoniously dropping it in the garbage bin.

Crestfallen, the secretary watches as his boss goes back to his chair and points the remote control in the direction of his glass walls, effectively closing the blinds surrounding his office and completely shutting Dongho out.

Dongho closes his eyes with a groan and drops his head dramatically on his keyboard, startling Minki who slides his chair back abruptly to stare in his friend’s direction with a judging look on his face.

“Stop being so loud.”

“I’m sorry not everyone gets to have their boyfriend as their boss,” the secretary snaps back without any heat, not moving a single muscle to raise his body from the uncomfortable position he put himself in.

That instantly shuts Minki up, and he slides his chair back inside his cubicle in complete silence.

Dongho snorts, finally sitting back and resting his body dejectedly on his chair, not realizing he now spots a few red square marks on his forehead. He stares unseeingly at his computer screen until his eyes focus enough to let him take notice of the unread email from Minhyun waiting for him in his inbox. Startled, he apprehensively clicks on it.

(no subject)  
08:19 (1 minute ago)  
**Hwang Minhyun** [hwang.m@hwangcorps.co.kr]  
to: me

Review these for today.

**Hwang Minhyun**  
Chief Financial Officer  
+82 2-2600-3844  
63 Building, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Opening the attached file and scrolling down to see the amount of math he will have to do to cross-check all that, a small smile spreads on the secretary’s lips, even if Minhyun is still being an ass.

Baby steps.

Minhyun: 2  
Dongho: 1

* * *

On Wednesday, Dongho is not around to see if Minhyun eventually accepts the juice bottle he still insists on leaving on his boss’ desk as soon as he gets to the office, and that’s because Jonghyun hijacks him for an impromptu breakfast meeting before the secretary even manages to sit his ass down for work.

* * *

The next day, as he’s leaving for Jonghyun’s office, he catches his boss taking a sip of the grape juice while calmly reading the report Dongho had been constantly leaving for him regarding his meetings with Jonghyun so the man can be aware of their progress.

He smiles to himself and leaves the Financial headquarters to go find the Information Security Director.

Minhyun: 2  
Dongho: 2

* * *

On the last day of the week, Dongho comes to the realization that he had spent most of the past week with Jonghyun going over every single detail for their important meeting with Akimoto that will finally be happening today, and that the secretary barely interacted with his own boss, who slowly started to send him files to review and cross-check again, but remained mum otherwise.

Dongho kinda misses having the other guy annoying the shit out of him on a daily basis.

He must be a masochist.

The secretary snaps out of his daydream when Jonghyun snaps his fingers in front of Dongho’s face, a teasing smile on his lips. “I’m about to pay a fortune for your thoughts.”

Getting a piece of meat out of the steamy grill, Dongho snorts while preparing a lettuce wrap out of his food. “I’m thinking about work.” He shakes his head and stares at the other man and stuffs his mouth full.

Jonghyun has been taking him out for lunch or breakfast on and off the entire week, insisting on it even after Dongho complains the other man has basically been paying for all of his meals. He isn’t about to refuse free food, but he feels a tiny bit bashful about not being able to contribute, since Jonghyun never lets Dongho go get his wallet back in his cubicle.

“Are you worried about our meeting with Akimoto today?” The Director asks while dipping his slice of meat in the sauce.

“Not in the slightest,” Dongho replies with his mouth still full. He chews a little faster and swallows. “With that temper, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Dongho’s phone starts buzzing repeatedly inside the back pocket of his pants, so he quickly drops his chopsticks to clean his hands with a napkin before taking his phone out, only to realize it’s just a few messages from his boss. He feels his stomach dropping in anticipation, but he doesn’t let himself hope; he’s probably just requesting Dongho to do an inane task again.

The secretary’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, though, and his mouth hangs open as he scrolls through the private chat.

Let’s have lunch.  
?  
I meant: ?  
**Hwang Minhyun [12:47 PM]**

Let’s have lunch?  
**Hwang Minhyun [12:48 PM]**

Looking up from his phone still with an expression of pure shock on his face, he notices the director calmly looking back at him while cleaning his mouth with a napkin.

“Is it Minhyun?” He balls up the discarded paper and rests his chopsticks on the table to flip a few slices of meat still cooking on the grill. “Do you have to leave?” He sounds understanding, even.

“Yeah, it’s him.” Dongho doesn’t elaborate and doesn’t answer his superior’s follow-up question.

rain check?  
i’m having lunch with jonghyun  
**Kang Dongho [12:50 PM]**

The secretary stares fixedly at his phone, waiting for a reply until the screen goes dark and his phone automatically locks up.

_Minhyun must be busy_, he thinks to himself, his leg bouncing nervously on the stool he’s sitting on, and with his arms resting on the table, he notices he’s also making the grill on top of it shake.

Jonghyun laughs amusedly at that, catching Dongho’s attention. “Why does he make you so nervous?” The director kicks him softly under the table to make him stop shaking himself and, consequently, their table. “It’s just Minhyunnie.”

Dongho furrows his brows in confusion. “Just Minhyunni—?” He’s stopped mid-question when his phone finally buzzes with Minhyun’s reply and he eagerly unlocks it to read.

So it’s “Jonghyun” now.  
**Hwang Minhyun [12:55 PM]**

Fearing that might have been a question, even with the clear punctuation mark at the end of it, he quickly types a reply.

he insisted on it  
**Kang Dongho [12:55 PM]**

can we go have dinner tonight instead?  
**Kang Dongho [12:56 PM]**

Jonghyun quietly prepares another lettuce wrap the way he has noticed the other man likes and places it on Dongho’s plate in front of him, making him snap out of his staring contest with his phone while Minhyun doesn’t text back.

“It’s going to be okay.” He says and Dongho suddenly believes him.

Dongho choke up with how much he fucking believes him, even after reading Minhyun’s next message.

I’ll be busy. Ask Jonghyun to accompany you.  
**Hwang Minhyun [13:00 PM]**

The secretary closes his eyes in resignation and chuckles. His head falls back, and he lets himself laugh then, cackling, only it doesn’t sound like a good kind of laugh at all. He laughs until his eyes are wet, but it’s okay.

Dongho trusts Jonghyun.

It’s going to be okay.

Minhyun: 3  
Dongho: 2

* * *

So far, their meeting with Akimoto is going according to plan.

The man is irate from the moment he notices Dongho’s presence in the conference room.

“What is he doing here?” He asks in Japanese instead of greeting Jonghyun, who’s standing in front of him with his outstretched hand.

“How have you been, Akimoto-sama?” Jonghyun cuts in and the transformation in his posture is startling. He looks so serious and fierce it instantly reminds Dongho of his own boss, and he understands now why the other man holds such a high position in their company. “Please, sit down,” he continues in Japanese.

They all bow down respectfully, save for Akimoto himself, who keeps on staring murderously at Dongho, and gather around the conference table to start their meeting.

Dongho smiles back at Akimoto with a placid smile on his lips. “Nice to see you again. I hope you don’t intend on defrauding us again.”

Akimoto sputters angrily, visibly trying to hold himself back from lurching at Dongho’s throat. “Look here, you punk—”

“Akimoto-sama,” Jonghyun cuts in again, giving Dongho a sideways look, quietly scolding him for his behavior. “I apologize for his behavior. Kang is new and he’s just trying to look out for Hwang Corps.”

“It’s the second time this kid is allowed in our meetings only to get in the way of our business,” The businessman snaps, looking back at Jonghyun’s placating face.

“The last time you wanted us to sign a frauded contract, though,” Dongho says calmly.

“It wasn’t frauded! Your company sent us the original file, and we only compiled our information from there!” Akimoto stands up and moves forward in Dongho’s direction, only to be stopped again by the Information Security Director, who stands up to block his path.

“I apologize,” the secretary responds quickly when he sees the venomous look on Jonghyun’s face.

Akimoto growls, closing his hands into fists before reluctantly sitting back down. “I’ll only continue this meeting if he leaves, or if he stays only to do his paper pusher job.”

Jonghyun looks back and forth between Akimoto and Dongho before resigning himself to handling the meeting alone. “Just keep quiet, Kang,” Jonghyun snaps at Dongho, sitting back in his chair to face Akimoto, placing his phone recklessly on the table.

From there on, Dongho only takes notes of everything being discussed in the meeting, handling the contract paper as requested, even leaving the room when he’s asked to bring them coffee, angry beyond belief because he’s put in this position, while trying to pretend to be calm and collected for the sake of their plan.

That is, until all hell breaks loose.

Akimoto’s team start talking quietly among themselves, checking and cross-checking all the numbers in the contract. Their boss notices how anxious his men look and gets distracted in the middle of conversing with Jonghyun.

“Is anything the matter?” The Director asks, looking between Akimoto and his team.

“Everything is fine.” He says in a clipped manner after he reads the paper his employees slide in his direction over the conference table. “We’ll just have to make a few changes in the final version of the contract and reprint it.”

“Why?” Dongho asks, not being able to help himself, excitement bubbling inside him.

“The numbers don’t match,” the CEO says between gritted teeth, motioning with his head for his men to start on the alteration he wants done on the laptop they brought.

Dongho furrows his brow, feigning confusion. “Weird. I just checked those, and everything seems to be in order.” He moves to grab the papers, but Akimoto stands up and slaps his hand on the table, startling everyone in the room, who all turn to stare at him in alarm.

“Don’t touch those papers!” Akimoto bellows, his face a startling shade of red.

“What’s wrong?” The secretary asks, lowering his voice in contrast to the CEO’s increasingly louder screams. “Isn’t this the final version of the contract your team had formulated?”

Realization hits Akimoto like a runaway train. “You changed the papers… You changed the papers, you little shit!” The CEO breathes out in pure rage and, for a moment, Dongho believes the man is actually having a stroke with how hard he starts trembling.

“I was just doing my job. Didn’t you ask me to handle the papers only?” Dongho’s expression changes to one of seriousness. “Why are you so mad about it?”

“You keep interfering and making me lose money!” He screams, completely out of his mind. “I need to change those numbers so I can make a profit out of this damn deal!”

Dongho smiles placidly.

“Did you get that?” The secretary chances a look at Jonghyun, who seems pleased by the whole mess one of their employees created, as per previous agreement.

Jonghyun’s phone, who had been lying forgotten on the conference table, is already in his possession. “Of course.” The Director stops the recording and immediately sends the file to his own email before the CEO can do anything about it.

Calmly, the secretary starts collecting all the papers spread over the conference table, still doing his supposed paper pushing task.

Akimoto and his men look on in bewilderment, confusion transforming into rage as soon as they understand Hwang Corps’ intention in scheduling such a short notice meeting to supposedly finish revising the contract terms between their companies.

“You son of a bitch!” Without a warning, the man chargers forward, grabbing Dongho by the throat and not wasting any time before he starts strangling the secretary, catching him completely by surprise.

“Security!” Jonghyun hollers while trying to shift the other man’s surprisingly strong grip on Dongho’s throat.

Dongho can’t breathe. He’s so surprised it takes him a second too long to start fighting back, struggling desperately and scratching his short nails on Akimoto’s hands to make the other man let him go, but that only prompts the CEO to grip him harder around the neck, completely cutting off the air from getting to his lungs.

With his face reddening from lack of oxygen, Dongho does the only thing he can think of: he kicks the man in the balls.

Suddenly, the secretary is able to breathe again, coughing roughly, feeling his lungs burn when he fills it with much needed air. He unconsciously scratches his own neck, still feeling the man’s hand on him, and if it were in any other situation, Dongho would’ve decked the man and sent him straight to the hospital.

_I’m going to kill this motherfucker_, he thinks wildly and really intends on ruining the man’s face with his own fists when he finally notices that security managed to immobilize Akimoto on the ground.

“We will file a motion against your company to prevent it from doing business in Korea from now on.” Jonghyun is already taking control of the situation and, for all intents and purposes, he looks half out of his mind with barely contained anger. “And it will be my pleasure to let all of Hwang Corps’ associates know what kind of business your company does.”

Akimoto is dragged out of the building by security, and his team is closely escorted out as well, and it’s only then that Dongho lets himself drop back in one of the office chairs crowding the conference room.

“I’m so sorry, Dongho.” Jonghyun looks frantic as he approaches the secretary who’s gingerly touching his sensitive neck.

“It’s fine.” He coughs, his voice rough after almost being crushed by the other man. “Just get our lawyer team to get a move before he’s able to leave the country.”

Jonghyun nods but he seems reluctant to leave Dongho alone. “Are you going to be okay? Do I have to call emergency?”

The secretary shakes his head and is ready to snap at him to get going when the conference room is ripped open by Minhyun looking wildly in Dongho’s direction.

“Leave us alone.” He speaks to Jonghyun, but his eyes don’t move away from Dongho’s slumped form on the office chair. “Now!” He snaps at the Director when he doesn’t move.

Jonghyun looks back and forth between his boss and Dongho before he reluctantly exits the room in silence to deal with the mess they intentionally created for the sake of Hwang Corps while Dongho helplessly watches him go. Slowly, he shifts his eyes to Minhyun’s furious ones and realizes he’s been left alone with the devil who, right now, looks like he has been possessed by something even more evil than Satan himself.

“What were you thinking?” Minhyun starts when he hears the door clicking shut. His voice is low and calm; too calm. “Was this you two idiots’ brilliant plan, Kang?”

The secretary sighs heavily and mentally rolls his eyes. He’s too tired for this right now. “Oh, don’t start, _sir_,” he replies mock-tiredly, his voice sounding deep and hoarse. Dongho gets up and doesn’t spare him a glance before walking in the direction of the closed door, but Minhyun won’t let him off the hook this easily. “Minhyun.” Dongho resignedly raises his eyes to stare at the other man. “Please.”

The CFO suddenly seems more subdued when he realizes Dongho’s fighting spirit is nowhere to be found and he doesn’t say anything back immediately. Instead, he touches Dongho’s chin, making the secretary wince in anticipation, but the other man only raises his head to get a closer look of the bright red handprints Akimoto left on his skin.

Dongho closes his eyes and, suddenly, his body is embraced by a wave of bone deep exhaustion, so he lets Minhyun have his way, quietly waiting for him to finish his examination on his otherwise creamy white skin.

“We are leaving, come on,” Minhyun mutters, grabbing Dongho by the wrist with his always cold hand, literally dragging him out of the conference room before the secretary can catch up fast enough to try to stop him.

“Wait—What are you doing?” Dongho tries to shake him off unsuccessfully, annoyed by his boss’ manhandling in the direction of the elevators. “Minhyun!” He growls, making his boss falter and that’s when he’s able to twist his arm free. “Use your words, please?” He rubs his sore wrist while looking at Minhyun with a vexed expression clouding his face.

Minhyun opens his mouth to surely snap something rude but apparently thinks better of it and closes it right back, making Dongho hold back a grumpy smile. The CFO tries again. “We are going to the hospital. You sound like shit and you have hand marks all over your neck.”

Dongho seems surprised by Minhyun actually doing what he asked, but it’s gone as quick as it came when a crazy thought crosses his mind. “It didn’t bother you as much when it was your love bites,” he croaks.

The secretary watches as the tips of Minhyun’s ears turn instantly red and he madly wonders if they’re as warm as they look.

Minhyun would never admit to anyone, not even to himself, but he fights a losing battle against his sputtering over Dongho’s words.

“I can’t believe you’re actually—comparing…” The man falters when he catches the secretary holding back a barely contained smile, which quickly overpowers him into a full-bodied laugh, though Dongho ends up wincing slightly when he feels his throat tighten as soon as he starts laughing. “Alright, that’s it, we are leaving now,” Minhyun says as he finally snaps out of staring at Dongho’s reaction.

Dongho lets himself get pulled in the direction of the elevator but he still basks in the fact that Minhyun’s grip isn’t as strong as before and that the other man isn’t actually dragging him this time, just directing him towards the exit.

They go straight for the building exclusive garage reserved for the higher ranks in their company and Dongho is shocked when Minhyun briskly walks up to his car, not bothering to ask for his driver to take them, as usual.

“Are you okay to drive?” Dongho’s voice is strained, but he can’t help but ask the man who seems too nervous to be behind the wheel right now.

“If you’re good enough to talk,” he snaps without any heat, pointedly looking at his employee before starting the engine and taking his car out of its parking space.

“Minhyun 4, Dongho 2.” The secretary mutters to himself, fastening his seatbelt. “I can’t catch up.”

“What are you talking about?” Minhyun seems confused but fortunately doesn’t take his eyes off the road ahead.

“Useless thoughts.” Dongho doesn’t elaborate and Minhyun doesn’t ask him to explain.

* * *

They leave the hospital at almost 10pm with a prescription to a cream Dongho needs to apply to the hand marks on his neck every 8 hours, a doctor’s advice to stay out of trouble and the copy of the police report they were asked (urged) to file against Dongho’s attacker.

Minhyun stayed quiet throughout the whole affair, only stepping in to provide a witness’ account on the attack and to pay for the hospital bill, much to Dongho’s annoyance, but the secretary doesn’t focus on that too much since he has way more important matters at hand to discuss now that he’s alone with his boss, finally.

“So can we talk now?” Dongho starts tentatively when they get back inside Minhyun’s car, trying to sound nonchalant as he takes off his suit jacket before buckling up.

“I don’t think this is the right time to have a discussion.” Surprisingly, Minhyun only sounds tired. “We can talk another time, if you insist.”

“Yeah, I insist.” The secretary says pointedly.

When his boss doesn’t say anything else, Dongho sighs and quietly unbuttons the top few buttons on his collar to start applying the free sample of the prescribed ointment that he got from the doctor on the sore skin around his neck.

“What are you doing?” Minhyun suddenly asks, his voice a little strained as he keeps his eyes glued on the road ahead.

“What the doctor asked me?” Dongho frowns, dipping the tip of his fingers on the gooey salve before spreading slowly on his heated skin.

His boss tightens his hands around the steering wheel and inquires. “Couldn’t you wait until we got home?”

“Home?” The secretary puzzledly looks up at Minhyun, noticing that they stopped at a red sign and that Minhyun is finally looking in his direction. “Do you remember my address? We have to turn right here—”

Minhyun cuts him off. “We are going to my place—”

“—no, we are not?” Dongho’s voice gets a little high at that, his eyebrows shooting up. “What the fuck?”

“It’s not safe for you to be alone tonight.” His boss sounds like this isn’t up for discussion, and that pisses Dongho off so much he barely restrains a growl.

“Stop making decisions for me when you can’t even man up and have lunch with me so we can sort out this mess,” Dongho states firmly, not faltering even when Minhyun stares back at him sternly. “Take me home, Minhyun.”

“Fine,” the other man bites out, his expression back to one of impassiveness, and he shifts the car into gear when the lights turn green, his focus back on his driving. Dongho isn’t expecting anything more when the man finally continues. “But I did ask you to have lunch with me today.”

Dongho snorts, unamused at the other man’s nerve. “Sorry I wasn’t at your disposal.”

Minhyun doesn’t say anything back and the secretary takes great pleasure in noticing that he takes the right turn to Dongho’s apartment.

Minhyun: 4  
Dongho: 3

* * *

Minhyun insists on coming up with him when they arrive at Dongho’s tiny apartment, even when Dongho tries to convince him otherwise. It would be a lie if he said he isn’t a little embarrassed by the state of his home at the moment, but it’s all his boss’ fault if he doesn’t have the time to clean it up (repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth).

Dongho goes in first, kicking a few discarded clothes under his couch before he lets Minhyun in, who instantly looks around distastefully at the cluttered apartment.

“Disgusting. How do you live like this?”

The secretary feels like he has seen this movie before.

“You can always leave,” he snaps, taking the dirty clothes he had clumsily shoved under his couch, which hadn’t gone unnoticed by his boss as he has hoped, to take to hamper placed in his bathroom.

Instead of replying, Minhyun takes his own suit jacket and helps Dongho gather all the dirty clothes lying on the floor, on the couch, on the bed—basically everywhere, to take them to the hamper as well.

Dongho watches in silence as his boss helps him tidy his tiny apartment unsolicited.

_He’s so weird,_ he thinks to himself.

The secretary is taken forcefully out of his musings by Minhyun’s voice breaking the (surprisingly) comfortable silence. “I’m taking the couch.”

Dongho’s body goes numb. “You’re _what_?”

“It’s tiny, but I think I’ll manage,” his boss continues, as if that’s a normal occurrence in their daily routine. “Care to spare me a clean shirt?”

“Minhyun, you’re not staying…” Bemusedly, Dongho shakes his head in denial.

“Yes, I am,” Minhyun states simply and calmly starts opening the buttons on his shirt, making his secretary avert his eyes in embarrassment, though he isn’t sure why he’s feeling embarrassed when he has already seen the other man completely naked and fucking his hand.

“No, you’re _not._” Dongho replies forcefully, more embarrassed by his line of thoughts than by the other man currently stripping in his living room. “I told you to stop making decisions for me—”

“I’m not making any decisions for you,” he snaps before Dongho has the chance to finish his discourse. “I’m respecting your decision, actually, but I’m not about to leave you alone after you and Jonghyun had the brilliant idea to rile one of the most powerful men in Japan,” he ends sarcastically, finishing undoing the buttons on his clothes, leaving it open against his white undershirt.

The secretary rolls his eyes. “He’s not in Japan and he’s going to be arrested soon enough.”

“Are you really that much of an idiot?” Minhyun can’t hide his annoyance anymore and his whole facial expression is filled with exasperation. “With the amount of money and power he has, I’d be surprised he’d last even a day in jail.”

“_God_, you’re so fucking frustrating.” Dongho voices out his aggravation, unable to stop himself, but fuck propriety; Minhyun is in his home calling him an idiot after he did what was expected of him, so he’ll have to deal with his insubordination for the night. “I don’t know what you think you’ll accomplish by staying here if that man, in fact, shows up, which I doubt—” He makes sure to add with a raised eyebrow, before continuing. “But be my guest.”

Surprisingly, Minhyun smiles.

“Now, that clean shirt?”

Dongho rolls his eyes. “Oh, fuck off.” He throws a dirty sock at the other man’s face, hitting him square on the nose, before leaving to do what he was asked.

Minhyun: 5  
Dongho: 3

The secretary won't catch up, apparently.

He can’t wait for this day to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta-ed by Akane, the baekmin fairy. tysm <3
> 
> cover art by the amazing AO3 user NeenaKang <3 Please go follow her on ig (@elena.sanchezg) and twitter (@ElenaSanchezG_) for more amazing art!
> 
> i gave you some plot in this chapter and hopefully minhyun will stop being an asshole soon  
(or not) :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy 2020! <3  
and happy birthday to the love of my life! ily, bb <3

They don’t get too far into the next day.

Before going to bed, Dongho finally relented and lent Minhyun a pair of clean sweatpants that came up too short on his long legs, and a shirt that hung too loosely on his thin frame. The secretary was so benevolent, he thought the man deserved one of his pillows and a soft sheet for the night as well.

He didn’t offer Minhyun his bed, though he thought about it. He was the one who had gone through a traumatic situation, so he might as well have the privilege of sleeping in his own bed, even if Minhyun’s long body was going to get cramped in his tiny hand me down couch.

Minhyun did that to himself when he insisted on staying, and Dongho was _so_ not offering to share his bed (even if deep down that’s _exactly_ what he wanted to do).

They still have a lot to discuss before taking that leap again.

Dongho is sleeping in his bedroom with his door closed when he is suddenly woken up by a loud slamming noise coming from the living room. Wearing just a pair of boxers, he rushes barefoot and bleary-eyed out of his room to find Minhyun already up, his hair a wild mess, holding the front door closed by the force of his own body weight.

Minhyun’s eyes snap up to meet Dongho’s as soon as he catches sight of the other man standing in the middle of his tiny living room, and Dongho has never seen Minhyun look so agitated before.

“Grab my phone on the coffee table and dial 1,” Minhyun orders him. When Dongho doesn’t immediately move, still too sleepy and dazed to understand what’s going on, Minhyun barks out. “Now, Dongho!”

“Alright—okay!” He quickly takes the phone and does as told, confused about the whole situation. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Someone tried to come in. They probably thought you’d be alone, so that’s why I managed to catch them by surprise and push the door closed on them.” Minhyun looks a little more composed by now, though his hair is still a mess and his chest heaves with each breath. “I think they left but I’m not taking any chances.” He continues as explanation for his current position against the door, even if it seems to be already locked again.

Meanwhile, during Minhyun’s clarification of the recent events, Dongho hears a simple, “On my way” coming from the receiver he had against his ear, getting startled out of his own skin.

“What—Minhyun, I thought you were making this shit up just to get in my pants!” The secretary cries out. “Are you fucking serious?!”

“Do I seem like the type to joke around, Dongho?” Minhyun deadpans. “Get a few changes of clothes, we are going to my place.”

“I already told you I’m not going there!” The secretary snaps exasperatedly, confused and annoyed after having his hard-earned sleep interrupted so rudely by this mess.

“It’s that or the police station. Your pick,” Minhyun snaps back impatiently.

Dongho looks around wildly.

This cannot be his life, this cannot be happening right now.

He looks back at Minhyun still leaning his whole weight against his front door and he’d laugh at the other man’s whitewashed complexion if he wasn’t confused and, honestly, now a little scared about the whole ordeal.

“Ok, _fine_! Jesus…” Dongho mutters and looks around a little lost until he shakes himself out of it and goes inside his room to shove a few indispensable items in a duffel bag. Before leaving his bedroom, he remembers to snatch a used shirt lying on the floor so he doesn’t have to face the freezing Seoul streets at dawn mostly naked.

While he was in his bedroom frantically collecting his stuff, Minhyun apparently dressed himself back in his suit, not bothering with his tie and leaving some of the top buttons of his shirt open in his rush. He’s on the phone now and doesn’t spare Dongho a glance while he keeps on looking through the peephole in Dongho’s door to check if anyone is approaching, his body tense and on high alert.

Dongho looks down at himself and rethinks his choice of attire, but he doesn’t have time to go change when Minhyun finally steps back and opens the door to his driver waiting for them on the other side.

“Come on, let’s go.” Minhyun’s serious tone doesn’t leave Dongho with another choice but to follow him out of his apartment.

Dongho looks even more confused to see Minhyun’s driver there in the middle of the night when they had driven here from the hospital earlier, but the secretary doesn’t comment on it until they’re inside another car with tinted windows, leaving Minhyun’s previous car parked in front of Dongho’s apartment.

“Why did you call your driver?” He asks while watching his apartment window disappear as the car charges forward in the empty street.

“He’s my bodyguard.” Minhyun corrects, making Dongho snap to attention.

The secretary feels a chill run up his body and he doesn’t know if it’s due to the cold or due to this damned situation. “Are you going to explain any of this?”

“I don’t need to explain anything to you—”

“—_Minhyun_,” Dongho bites out.

His boss continues to stare at the empty street ahead but Dongho notices how his jaw tenses in consternation, and he wonders what kinds of battles Minhyun is fighting inside his head and what side is going to come out as the winner.

“As you may have presumed, since you’re not an idiot,” His boss starts slowly and Dongho is willing to ignore his jab for the sake of watching something extraordinary happening such as Minhyun actually giving in. “I need a bodyguard with me at all times. Hence, the driver.”

“Do you piss people off often?” Dongho raises his eyebrows.

He can throw a few punches himself.

“Why don’t you tell me that yourself?” Minhyun smirks without looking at him.

It’s a pity that sometimes his punches backfire.

They ride in silence until they reach Minhyun’s villa, the driver—the _bodyguard_ parking the car in the garage next to a few other luxury vehicles (of _course_ he owns a small collection of billion won cars).

“You can go home, Park. I’ll have the house on lockdown until you pick me up tomorrow morning.” Minhyun directs his order to the man behind the wheel, who nods mutely and leaves the vehicle, as well as Dongho and Minhyun behind.

Dongho is still terribly confused by the situation he finds himself in, and he contemplates for a wild moment just fleeing, going back to Jeju and to his mother’s house and as far away from this mess as possible, but in the end, his curiosity gets the best of him.

Resignedly, he follows Minhyun out of the car and up the steps leading to the man’s expensive looking front door, intent on forcing the truth out of him so he can finally understand what the hell is going on, but Dongho’s left speechless as soon as Minhyun opens his door to let them both inside his house.

The secretary had expected to find a very sterile, ostentatious home decorated with uncomfortable looking furniture to impress other rich people, knowing the other man’s personality, and while the house is, in fact, spotless (as far as Dongho can see), Minhyun’s home is nothing like he had predicted.

From the door to the floor-to-ceiling windows far ahead, the vast open space is filled by a warm, _lived in_ atmosphere instead of the empty and cold one he thought he would find. Taking off his shoes at the front porch, Dongho doesn’t stop to look back at his boss as he steps in, and Minhyun silently watches as his employee takes in his home.

Dongho first notices that the light bamboo wood flooring spreads throughout the first floor, and he assumes the theme continues on the second floor where the bedrooms are probably located.

To his right, the living room is finely decorated with earthy colored furniture, with two large, soft-looking, beige couches placed adjacent to the marble fireplace that takes over the wall from top to bottom, complete with a light colored fluffy rug disposed right in front of it. On his right, he finds the dining room, which is connected to the kitchen by a cooking island with a marble top to match the one used on the fireplace, surrounded by six white high stools. The kitchen is modern-looking, with stainless steel appliances, but it still goes perfectly well with the warm atmosphere the whole house exudes even if it looks scrubbed clean.

Since the house is located on a hilltop, the double height ceiling windows mesmerize Dongho with its view of the sleeping city ahead, and he walks straight towards the spotless glass separating him from the rest of the world.

“Do you like it?” Minhyun asks softly, finally breaking the long silence.

“It’s beautiful,” The secretary replies instantly, just as softly, without taking his eyes off the view. “Do you live here by yourself?”

“Yes.” Minhyun’s voice sounds a lot closer than before and Dongho’s body tenses on its own accord. “I’m glad you like it.”

Dongho breaks his staring contest with the view and quickly catches sight of a long and narrow infinity pool on the deck below before he turns to face his boss, who’s standing way too close for comfort. The secretary steps back only to hit the glass behind him.

“Will he try to kill me?” He asks, and, to his relief, he breaks the suddenly sultry mood that was almost overpowering them both with Minhyun standing so close.

“I don’t think it’s to that extent.” Minhyun steps back and heads in the direction of the stairs.

“You don’t _think_?” Dongho is not ashamed to say he might have lost his cool and shrieked a little.

“He wants to teach you a lesson,” he concludes simply. “You’re coming? I’m exhausted.”

“I’m _not_ going to sleep with you,” the secretary says quickly with his back still glued to the window, getting whiplash out of his own change of subjects.

“You already made that clear, Kang,” comes the emotionless reply from Minhyun who’s already going up the stairs. “I’m going to show you to your room.”

Sighing tiredly, Dongho regrets blurting that out like that before giving it a second thought because they still need to have a serious conversation about whatever that has been going on between them, but in the end he simply pushes himself off the floor-to-ceiling window to follow Minhyun to the upper floor with his duffel bag thrown over his shoulder, hoping tomorrow he’ll finally have his chance to properly talk to the other man.

* * *

Dongho wakes up the next morning to an annoyingly loud sound coming from the other side of his closed bedroom door.

And what a bedroom it is. The secretary is still speechless over the view that extended from the floor below to the windows upstairs, and this isn’t even the master suite. The bed is the most comfortable thing he has ever laid himself on—Minhyun’s firm chest notwithstanding.

Dongho whines and muffles the sound on his soft pillow, blindly searching for his phone on the nightstand. Opening one crusted filled eye, he confirms it’s still ass o’clock in the morning and he’s going to kill his boss once and for all.

The secretary throws his door wide open, wearing just his boxers, only to find not Minhyun but apparently his housemaid.

“Good morning, sir!” The old lady says brightly, turning off the vacuum cleaner at once. “What will you have for breakfast?”

With his face filled with embarrassment, Dongho half closes the door to cover his modesty in front of the woman. “Uh. I’ll have anything Minhy—mister Hwan—your boss is having.”

The lady laughs at his stuttering. “Minhyunnie already left for work, but he made it clear that I should prepare whatever you wanted to eat.”

_Minhyunnie?_, Dongho frowns in thought. It’s already the second person he’s met who’s allowed to speak so comfortably to him.

“It’s fine, uh—“

“Choi Miyoung, sir, but halmeoni is fine,” she says kindly

“—halmeonim. I’ll have anything that’s already at hand.”

“Oh no, it’s no trouble at all, sir.”

“It’s really fine, halmeonim, and please call me Dongho,” the secretary insists, already wanting to go back inside to get properly dressed.

“Alright then, Dongho-ya.” She laughs. “It’ll be served in ten, go brush your teeth and come down.”

Dongho bows his head respectfully and rushes back inside, closing the door behind him and resting his body on it.

Well, that was interesting.

* * *

The rest of the day goes by in the same manner.

Dongho spends the day following Miyoung around the admittedly ostentatious house, trying to get glimpses of Minhyun’s private life while talking to the old lady, and he’s not ashamed to admit that everything he has heard about Minhyun so far sounds rather homey.

Apparently, Minhyun is a neat freak and when he’s home, he tends to help Miyoung out with all the house cleaning without complaint. He also likes all types of food so Miyoung ends up experimenting a lot in the kitchen, trying out new recipes from various countries. He also learns Minhyun has a sweet tooth and that’s why he’s not a fan of coffee, though he does drink it when he’s in a sour mood (and their small interaction in Japan suddenly makes total sense).

He learns that Minhyun doesn’t invite a lot of people over but his sister is often there and although they tease each other to death, they also share a deep love for one another. Minhyun also likes to spend most of his free time, which isn’t a lot, at home and Dongho understands now why the house feels so warm and lived in.

While on the subject, Dongho tries to know a bit more about Minhyun’s relationship with his parents, but Miyoung simply gives Dongho a knowing smile as she urges him to ask that question to the man himself.

Miyoung shares that she’s been taking care of Minhyun since he moved out from his parents’ home at seventeen when he went to study abroad. She has traveled with the man a lot and he hadn’t always lived in this house, but it’s been a couple of years since he moved in and made the place his own after a few renovations. It’s also the first time he’s been living completely alone without Miyoung.

Dongho notices there aren’t many pictures of his friends or family around the house but he does spot a picture of Minhyun with a beautiful woman, both smiling brightly at the camera, and another one of a much younger, chubby-faced Minhyun pouting at Miyoung who smiles kindly back at him, taken at where Dongho assumes was his boss’ previous home.

There is so much more to learn about the man who has been a mystery to him for so long and who doesn’t really seem to want to open up to Dongho at all, but soon night falls and Miyoung says her goodbyes for the day with the promise of coming back on Monday.

Dongho is tempted for finally go upstairs and raid the house in search for more information on the guy and maybe take a peek at what the other man’s room looks like, but his sixth sense tells him to stay put, getting himself warm on the couch in front of the lit up fireplace.

Not too long after, Minhyun finally arrives, taking off his shoes and suit jacket at the front porch and stopping mid stride when he catches sight of Dongho looking at him from the mostly dark living room.

“Didn’t know you worked on Saturdays, sir.” Dongho asks as a way of greeting.

Calmly, as if reigning back his composure, Minhyun starts folding his jacket. “I do, sometimes, but I had an important meeting with the CEO today.”

The secretary raises his eyebrows. “The CEO or your father?”

Minhyun’s expression closes off. “Does it matter?”

“It does. Why do you keep calling your father ‘the CEO’?” Dongho let’s his curiosity win over, standing up from the couch to come up closer to Minhyun still standing between the kitchen and the living room.

“That’s none of your business.” He snaps, but otherwise watches as Dongho comes closer, but the other man stops as soon as he hears his reply.

“Alright…” Dongho takes a deep breath to not snap back at him; maybe he had gone a little too far with that question. “Will we talk about something that _is_ my business then, like Akimoto trying to break into my home?”

Minhyun suddenly sighs heavily. “I had a tiring day and I’ll have another meeting like this one tomorrow. Let’s do that on Monday, shall we? I’m already taking care of it.”

“Listen,” Dongho barks out, dropping all pretense of formality by then. “We are talking about my life here. I was simply doing my job when that man snapped and after tried to break into my home. Even if I’m here, is my mother safe? My brother? Do I have to worry for their lives?” His voice gets higher with each new question.

“Your life is not at risk.” He rolls his eyes tiredly. “He’d mostly have you beaten up for making him lose his money. He’d lose even more if you died over this, I’d make sure of that and he knows it,” Minhyun continues matter-of-factly. “You’re just here so I can keep an eye on you and so that he doesn’t get any ideas.”

That makes Dongho impossibly enraged. “Are you fucking kidding me?!” He yells, and he is gratified when the sound echoes in the spacious minimalist home. “I’m not a possession! I told you to stop making decisions for me! And what do you mean you’d make sure to make him lose more if he did anything to me?!” He closes his hands into tight fists. “God, you’re so frustrating! Don’t simply look at me like that!”

Minhyun, in fact, just regards him with a bemused expression while Dongho has his minor meltdown, and if the secretary looks closely, he’ll notice that Minhyun is actually holding himself back from laughing.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” Minhyun states simply.

Dongho is hit with a sudden wave of mixed feelings, of wanting the other man so badly, to hold him close and to kiss him until he finally _finally_ starts acting like a normal human being, but also of wanting to rip his face off for thinking he can play with Dongho’s mind like this.

“You’re an asshole and I should never kiss you again,” Dongho snaps bitingly.

His boss gives him a small smile. “But you’re going to anyway, aren’t you?”

Minhyun looks so beautiful right then in the low light of his living room, looking tired and a little rumpled, barefoot and holding his folded jacket in his hand, even while he’s being a complete bastard. That does so many things to Dongho’s mind and feelings, which have already been a mess since the other man first kissed him in Jakarta, that he’s sure Minhyun knows Dongho’s honest answer for his question.

But Dongho is nothing if not resilient.

“Fuck you.”

Minhyun smirks. “That, too.”

Dongho closes his eyes and asks the heavens for strength.

This man will be the death of him.

* * *

Contrary to Minhyun’s belief, they do not fuck.

They don’t even come close to fucking.

Dongho goes back to his room while still pissed off at his wipeass of a boss and goes to sleep to clear his mind.

In the morning, Minhyun is nowhere to be found, and there’s also no Miyoung to keep him distracted out of his own confusing thoughts so he’s soon bored to death and had even hoped for Akimoto to show up so he has a little action in his day.

He ends up leaving the house to buy a few items he forgot to bring over, now knowing all the codes to enter Minhyun’s home after getting them from Miyoung the day before.

He goes down the hill, taking notice of all the other beautiful luxurious homes in the same street as Minhyun’s villa, only to first stop at a convenience store to buy a few snacks (he can’t believe Minhyun doesn’t have any junk food in his house, what a weird kind of guy), and then at a drug store to buy a toothbrush, a pair of slippers (his toes tend to get cold), and, while blushing furiously, a pack of condoms (but he doesn’t really think too much about that purchase).

When he goes back to Minhyun’s place, he gets a message from Jonghyun.

hey, donghoya, how are you?  
**Kim Jonghyun [11:33 AM]**

i’m fine...  
have you spoken to minhyun?  
**Kang Dongho [11:35 AM]**

not really, he’s been ignoring me ㅋ  
**Kim Jonghyun [11:35 AM]**

ㅋㅋㅋㅋ  
well, i’m at his place  
**Kang Dongho [11:36 AM]**

what?!  
**Kim Jonghyun [11:36 AM]**

yeah  
he says akimoto tried to break into my house  
**Kang Dongho [11:36 AM]**

long story  
**Kang Dongho [11:37 AM]**

okay, hold on  
**Kim Jonghyun [11:37 AM]**

okay?  
**Kang Dongho [11:37 AM]**

Jonghyun doesn’t reply back so Dongho gets comfortable on Minhyun’s couch, enjoying the view of the busy city ahead, thinking he could get used to this if it wasn’t for the owner of this house himself.

He drops his head back on the backrest of the couch and mulls over Minhyun’s actions towards him so far. He’s not that stupid, he knows Minhyun wants something from him, which is mostly sex (at least that's what Dongho thinks), so it doesn’t make sense why Minhyun would go so out of his way to protect a simple sex interest from a hard beating.

It’s not like Minhyun is still pursuing Dongho like they haven’t had sex before, because they did get that out of the way pretty quickly. So if it’s not the novelty of the thing itself, it must be something else entirely.

_It’s probably also not out of the goodness of his heart_, Dongho snorts at that. Maybe he’s thankful Dongho helped him save a few zeros in his bank account? _Yeah, right._

Well, if Minhyun wasn’t such a jerk and started to communicate like a normal person, he wouldn’t be here right now overthinking the other man’s actions like this.

He’s so lost in thought he gets scared out of his own skin when he hears the doorbell ringing.

Dongho rushes over and turns on the little tv next to the door which is connected to all surveillance cameras around the house. He chooses the one located right over the street gates, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest, only to get another shock when he sees no one other than Jonghyun there waving cutely at him.

_What the fuck, he knows where Minhyun lives?_

Dongho buzzes Jonghyun in and then opens the front door for him.

“Does your boss know that you’re here?” The secretary asks in place of greeting.

Jonghyun waves him off, climbing the stairs and getting inside like he’s right at home. “Enough about me, more about you. What happened, why are you here?”

Dongho sighs and recounts how he and Minhyun left together for the hospital after the later had told Jonghyun to leave the conference room, then how Dongho was made to file a report against Akimoto and how Minhyun insisted on staying at his place for the night. He relays how he was woken up in the middle of the night to most probably Akimoto’s men trying to break into his home and that’s how he ended up at Minhyun’s place.

Jonghyun whistles. “Man, Minhyun is going to kill Akimoto.”

Dongho frowns. “What do you know?”

“Nothing more than you do, but if he brought you here, you must be really important to him.”

The secretary scoffs. “Right. He just wants to fu—“ he stops short, his eyes opening wide at his slip up.

The director smirks. “That too, probably.”

“If you two are friends, you fucking deserve each other.”

Jonghyun cackles, slapping Dongho a few times on the shoulder. “Let’s order something greasy for lunch.”

* * *

Dongho is sitting on the fluffy rug in front of the fireplace with Jonghyun lying on the couch next to him when Minhyun arrives a few hours later.

At first, he doesn’t notice them, taking off his suit jacket and shoes at the door, going straight for the stairs, when the movement of Jonghyun trying to drop from the couch to hide himself catches his attention.

Minhyun looks from Jonghyun half out of the couch to Dongho looking confusedly at what Jonghyun is trying to do, and the CFO’s face instantly clouds over like Dongho had only seen happening when the man had caught sight of the red hand marks around his neck two days ago.

“What are you doing here?” The CFO asks acidly, his eyes fixed on Jonghyun, who looks a little embarrassed with a small smile on his lips.

“I wanted to check in on Dongho,” the Director replies sheepishly.

“_‘Dongho’_, huh?” Minhyun asks a rhetorical question, his eyes moving coldly from Jonghyun to Dongho, who looks on cluelessly.

“Hey, don’t turn that face on me, I have no idea what’s going on because nobody fucking bothers to explain anything to me.” Dongho huffs, rising from the floor. “Stop with the caveman staring contest, Minhyun.”

“_Kang_,” Minhyun starts warningly.

“Fine, as you wish,” The secretary snaps back, then turns to Jonghyun. “Thanks for coming, Jonghyun-ah. Good luck with that.” He motions his head in Minhyun’s direction and leaves them alone to murder each other or something. He’s fucking fed up of this situation.

Dongho doesn’t hear any yelling or anything crashing so he gathers Jonghyun is (mostly) okay. He takes a shower and is already lying down on his bed, thinking of how much longer he will have to stay here when he hears a soft knock on his door.

He sits up, covering himself with a sheet (he’s in his boxers and a T-shirt, even if it’s too early to sleep, because he doesn’t want to deal with Minhyun’s bitching tonight) and tells the person to come in.

Still wearing his suit from earlier, sans jacket and tie, Minhyun calmly opens the door. “We are going out to dinner.”

“Rephrase that.” Dongho replies just as calmly.

Minhyun’s features suddenly look like he swallowed a lemon. “Let’s have dinner?”

The secretary doesn’t hide his smile. “Are you going to finally tell me what’s going on?”

“...yes.” It sounds like the word is being ripped out of him.

“Alright, let me just get dressed,” Dongho consents and jumps off the bed, forgetting his state of dress.

Minhyun doesn’t even try to hide how his eyes basically eat the other man up. He slowly takes Dongho in, starting from his thick thighs, going up to his slim waist, running his eyes over the other man’s clothed chest, over his strong arms and his wide shoulders, stopping only when he reaches the secretary’s blushing face to stare deeply and meaningfully into his beautiful hazel-brown eyes.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Feeling like his face is about to burn up with embarrassment and something else, Dongho makes sure to break the moment.

Minhyun is taken by surprise and he gives Dongho the pleasure of hearing his full-belly, awkward sounding laugh.

_God, he’s so beautiful._

“I’m going to wait for you downstairs.” His boss doesn’t hide his smile this time, complete with crinkling eyes and full cheeks and all.

Dongho is fucked.

* * *

Dongho doesn’t dress up at all because this most probably isn’t a date, just like the last time it wasn’t. To be honest, he’d rather get hit by a wild truck and watch peacefully as his soul ascends than to make any wrong assumptions again and feel worse than horse shit.

Because this is not a date. He thinks.

Minhyun is waiting for him in the kitchen where he’s currently drinking a glass of bubbly water to pass the time. “Took your sweet time.” He comments as soon as he sees Dongho coming down the stairs.

“Will you ever stop picking on everything I do?” Dongho deadpans.

“Will you?” Minhyun asks right back, making Dongho sigh heavily in exasperation.

“Okay, listen. If we are going to do this, we should get a few things straight. Is this a date?” The secretary asks pointedly.

“It could be.” Minhyun nods once and doesn’t look even a little bit taken aback by his employee’s direct question, taking _Dongho_ by surprise instead.

“Wait, what?”

“Did we get that out of the way? Now let’s go.” The CFO doesn’t really explain anything, simply snatching his suit jacket off the hanger by the front door, not waiting for Dongho to follow but expecting him to.

Dongho doesn't really move for a moment, still dumbfounded over this unexpected turn of events. He can’t help but think this is another part of Minhyun’s game that he’s just not up to playing.

He suddenly moves into action, running down the stairs after the man, but Minhyun beats him before he can say anything.

“Which one do you want to take?”

_Well, if this is a game, two can play it. _

The secretary nods in the direction of the off road car. “Can I drive?”

That makes Minhyun stop. He looks at Dongho with a raised eyebrow. “Do you want to drive one of my cars?” He asks like it’s a challenge.

“Yup.” Dongho stresses the last consonant with a pop and smiles. “Can I?”

Minhyun looks at him in a calculating manner, quickly catching up to Dongho’s plan. “Sure, but we should take that one.” He motions to the red sports car that looks too shiny to have been used before. His boss doesn’t wait for him to choose, opening the passenger seat door and getting inside. “The key is inside, come on.”

Dongho gulps but, again, he’s nothing if not resilient. He gets behind the wheel, tentatively adjusting the driver's seat and rearview mirrors before he’s satisfied enough to start the car. “Alright, where to?”

Minhyun gives him the address before adding in a tranquil tone of voice. “Don't worry, if we crash, we can take it out of your pay for a few years.”

Not moving a single muscle in response, Dongho thinks he may have placed a bet too high.

* * *

Thankfully, they get to the restaurant without any incident and Minhyun, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t look at all disappointed by this.

They are taken to a reserved area of the restaurant building that, from the top of its 40th floor, faces the beautiful Seoul city lights. Maybe it’s time Dongho accepted this is, in fact, a date.

Dongho is taking a sip of his water when Minhyun interrupts his line of thought as soon as they are left alone by their waiter.

“So are you and Jonghyun fucking?”

He barely has time to suppress the urge to spit the water he was about to swallow on Minhyun’s face in surprise, instead he forces it down, but it’s also a bad idea when the liquid almost comes out through his nostrils. He coughs, choking a little, feeling his eyes water involuntarily, and when he chances a look at Minhyun, the asshole is just there, waiting for a reply when Dongho just had a close encounter with death.

“What the fuck!” The secretary sputters in outrage.

“I thought you had a problem with going out with your superiors, but you seem to be doing fine with Jonghyun,” the CFO continues matter-of-factly.

The secretary surreptitiously tries to dry his eyes with the tabletop after his coughing fit when Minhyun offers him his napkin. Dongho snatches it out of the other man’s hand impatiently.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he bites out. “But, Jonghyun and I are _friends_.” He stresses the word to make a point. “Or maybe not even that yet, but yes, friends. Just like I assumed you two were, though I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Jonghyun and I grew up together.” Minhyun offers that bit of information not even Jonghyun had thought to spare him during their lunch dates in the past week. “We were very close but after I got my position as Chief of Financial Operations, we drifted apart.”

Dongho nods, really interested in knowing a little bit more about this mystery man, even more so when it doesn’t feel so clandestine since he’s the one giving out the information himself.

But Dongho is still confused. “Why did you just ask me that stupid question?”

“Because I’d have to fire him if you were,” is the deadpan reply.

“Don’t even joke about it,” The secretary threatens in a serious tone.

“Is it that serious between you two?” For the first time, Minhyun looks unsure.

“Stop this nonsense,” Dongho says rudely, almost cutting him off. “What kind of person do you think I am?”

“You two just seem awfully close for a boss-employee relationship,” Minhyun says accusingly though his unsure expression barely changes.

“He’s not exactly the boss I want to have a close relationship with, is he?” Dongho raises an eyebrow expectantly, not hesitating in his quick reply because he’s tired of this confusing game. “Though this certain boss hardly helps since he’s always being an asshole and making everything so difficult.”

That effectively shuts Minhyun up.

The CFO blinks a few times, looking taken aback by Dongho’s sudden forward statement, and the secretary basks in the fact that Minhyun can’t think of a reply.

_Maybe he’s not really interested_, a sickening voice whispers in the back of Dongho’s head. Minhyun did say this could be a date, but maybe he pities Dongho? The secretary feels a wave of nausea hit him right in the gut and he doesn’t notice that Minhyun keeps quietly staring at him the whole time, maybe even a little lost in thought himself.

Why does this man make him feel so insecure?

Dongho musters up all of his courage and decides to start again, just to make sure, because all the other signals he’d been receiving from Minhyun for the past two weeks tell a different story.

“Is this a date or not?” The secretary sighs, finally picking up the menu, skimming over it without really reading since his mind is buzzing with anticipation and also because it’s in fucking French, the fancy bastard.

“It is if you want it to be.” Minhyun’s menu remains closed on the table next to the silverware and, instead, he glances intently at Dongho over the rim of glass as he takes a sip of the water their waiter had poured for them as soon as they arrived.

The secretary snaps the menu closed, handing it over to Minhyun with suspicious eyes. “Do you want to date me?” He rephrases the question to corner the other man into giving him a direct response.

Taking the menu the other man is handing over, Minhyun doesn’t reply as immediately as before and Dongho feels his stomach plummeting.

“I want to have an enjoyable time with you.” The CFO finally replies, looking to the side to their waiter who comes over quickly. “I’ll have the usual. He’ll have the duck.” The waiter bows respectfully, taking their menus before leaving just as quickly.

Dongho heart is beating wildly in his chest and he once again feels cheated by his own assumptions. “You just want to fuck then,” he bites out.

He’s angry at himself for being a fool, angry at Minhyun for sending mixed signals, angry at Jonghyun for making him believe everything was going to be fine—

Minhyun suddenly covers Dongho’s hand on the table, making the secretary stutter in his line of thought over the other man’s unexpected gesture. Dongho’s eyes flash angrily and he tries to pull his hand back but Minhyun doesn’t let him.

“Don’t you think that if all I wanted was a quick fuck I wouldn’t already be having it with someone way less high maintenance than you?” Minhyun’s voice is low but his desperation is clear in the way he holds the secretary’s hand tightly in fear of letting him go.

And, just like that, Dongho’s fighting stance leaves him.

Dongho lets his eyes fall closed for a moment, finally relaxing his tense posture, and he pointedly ignores the goosebumps taking over his flesh and the hot jolting wave running up his spine after hearing the other man’s words because he’s not pleased by the backhanded compliment. Not at all.

Looking back at Minhyun and feeling a little lost over the other man’s desperate clutch on his closed hand, he’s hit by the realization that he’s really about to take a leap of faith into this complicated relationship.

With his eyes locked on Minhyun’s, he takes a deep breath before starting in earnest, giving this man one last shot.

“You might just like the chase.” Dongho states bluntly in reply to what Minhyun had said before. “If I stop fighting,” Slowly, he turns his hand under Minhyun’s firm grip, opening his palm so it finally meets the other man’s cold one. “Will you run away?”

On instinct, Minhyun quickly interlaces their fingers in a tight grip, but he is immediately shocked by his own unexpected reaction, his eyes getting large as he stares at their hands together. It’s pretty obvious he isn’t used to going headfirst into anything and it makes Dongho's pulse quicken in anticipation.

Taking a deep breath to rein back some control over himself, Minhyun chances a look at their intertwined hands only to end up trapped in his own thoughts, worrying over things Dongho still doesn’t know anything about, absentmindedly rubbing the back of the other man’s hand in a caress.

When Minhyun finally looks up, he gives Dongho a resigned small smile and the secretary feels his whole body sag in relief. Without warning, Minhyun’s grip feels more determined, more assured, and Minhyun’s initial shock over his bodily response to Dongho’s suggestive question is completely gone as he gets lost in his secretary’s beautiful brown eyes.

Suddenly, Minhyun’s hand doesn’t feel as cold.

Dongho’s not any closer to finding out what this man wants from him or what really troubles him, but it seems like they’re finally taking a small step in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is, apparently, Akane's favorite chapter so i hope you all liked it ._. i hope it's becoming less frustrating as we go lol (or not :D heh).
> 
> once again, thank you, Akane, for the awesome beta work even while tipsy during nye! hahahahaha ily <3
> 
> and as usual, thank you, Neena, for the beautiful cover art <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is dedicated to the horny gc. ily all, i hope you like it <3

The next week goes by in a blur.

In a blur of too much work and not as much talking as Dongho would have liked after their brief truce at the restaurant on Sunday.

Still, as the week goes by, Dongho notices a small shift in their working relationship, one that the secretary really appreciates nonetheless.

For starters, Minhyun doesn’t ask him to do meaningless tasks anymore. Instead, he fills Dongho’s inbox with tons of reports to review and data to collect like he used to do. Dongho should be bothered by the amount of work the other man is throwing his way, but he’s actually pleased to be of use once again instead of being set aside.

Minhyun also doesn’t push the name calling issue. Whenever they’re at the office, the CFO sticks to their surnames, and Dongho, catching the hint, tries not to let the other man’s first name slip from his mouth, even if he feels the urge to keep repeating his name over and over (in a non-sexual way).

The CFO’s only issue with their new dynamics is that he can’t force the secretary to ditch his previously-made appointments to accompany him wherever during the secretary’s free time, like going out to have lunch with him, for example, since Dongho has been keeping up with his lunch dates with Jonghyun and, sometimes, also accompanied by Minki and Aron, whom Dongho is only getting to know now.

Dongho has extended the invite to Minhyun a few times, but the man always declines with some lame excuse. He has no idea why Minhyun doesn’t want to join them, but he doesn’t push it in fear of breaking their unspoken mutual understanding.

Still, Minhyun never looks pleased as he watches Dongho leave the office accompanied by his trio of tentative friends through his office glass walls.

Every night, though, they leave together with Minhyun’s diver-bodyguard, which always prompts Dongho into asking more about his safety issue. He wants to know how long they’ll have to keep up with this weird setting of Dongho basically living with his boss, but Minhyun always gives him the same vague answer: that he’s taking care of Akimoto himself. And after Dongho pressures him into elaborating, he says that Akimoto is out of the country and then manages to change the subject.

When they get home—Minhyun’s home, it’s a whole other story. The comfortable silence they became accustomed to in the office becomes stilted, like they don’t know how to act around each other now that they can drop the formalities they keep at work.

Apparently, they’re perfectly in sync when it comes to work matters, but not when it comes to their personal lives.

Once again, Dongho is struck by the absurdity of this situation. How will they ever come to a compromise if they’re so awkward around each other when they’re not at work or fucking? Will they ever manage to find a middle ground regarding their boss-employee relationship if they can’t manage to talk without arguing?

They’re having dinner on Friday in Minhyun’s ostentatious dining room, eating something inexplicably delicious Miyoung prepared for them before leaving for the day, and the atmosphere is once again filled with a tense air of awkwardness and stilled silence.

The secretary sighs and puts his chopsticks down.

“Listen—”

“Dongho—”

They both start at the same time, and while Dongho averts his eyes with a flush as soon as their eyes meet, Minhyun gives him a little smile in return.

“You first,” the CFO says, taking a sip of his red wine.

Dongho sighs again and makes himself meet the other man’s eyes before continuing. “Don’t you think it’s time we talked about—” while searching for the right word, Dongho ends up just mutely motioning between the two of them, giving up on trying to come up with a label for their messy non-relationship.

Minhyun nods in consent, surprising Dongho who tries not to show how pleased he is by Minhyun’s response.

“Where do you want to start?” The CFO puts his glass of wine back on the table and gives Dongho his full attention.

Unused to having the man’s intense gaze directed at him like this, the secretary licks his lips nervously but doesn’t try to break the eye contact.

“From the start? I don’t know anything about you, only that you’re 25, heir of Hwang Corps and Chief of Financial Operations where I work at. Coincidently, you’re also my boss.” Dongho risks a smile at his own lame joke.

“Your boss who’s also very into you,” Minhyun completes and Dongho is sure he’s imagining the soft little smile on Minhyun’s lips and the barely-there blush on his cheeks.

The blush on Dongho’s face, though, is unmistakable.

“My boss who’s also into me, apparently,” Dongho repeats and suddenly he realizes he won’t be able to keep on having dinner if they’re really having this conversation. “Maybe I’ll need some alcohol, after all.”

Minhyun laughs quietly, but he’s still so controlled in showing his emotions it makes Dongho want to rip any kind of genuine reaction from the man. The secretary wonders if that’s why he’s often so impulsive in the presence of his boss, as if he had always wanted to see him react like a normal person, even if most of the time the reaction turns out to be one of frustration.

The taller man serves him a glass of wine from the bottle he had left on the dining table. Initially, Dongho had declined the drink, wanting to be clear-headed if he was going to go forward with his plans of having this conversation. Now, he thinks he’ll need some liquid courage.

“So, from the start…” Minhyun continues thoughtfully. “I graduated overseas and when I came back, I worked under my father for a while before I got my current position at Hwang Corps.”

“And that’s when you and Jonghyun stopped being friends?” Dongho asks, resting his crossed arms over the table.

Minhyun’s controlled expression closes off. “Why are you so interested in Jonghyun?”

“I’m interested in knowing more about your friendship.” The secretary waves impatiently. “You offered that bit of information when you were being an ass at the restaurant last week.”

The CEO looks on in consternation. “He was my best friend—my only friend when we were kids. I didn’t have a lot of friends because I was always studying and didn’t have much time for trivial things like friendship. I didn’t understand it then, but now I get it. I don’t have time for that.” Emotionlessly, Minhyun takes a sip of his wine.

Dongho feels a strange kind of dread fill his chest and he doesn’t like it one bit. He looks at the other man across the table, trying to understand what goes on inside his brain.

“Do you have time for a love life, though?”

“Not really,” the other man says without having to think about it, and Dongho feels like he’s slipping on ice during this conversation.

The secretary looks down at the table, at the food on his plate now left untouched, and asks dispassionately. “So you like being lonely? Without friends or a lover?”

“I got used to it.” Minhyun picks up his chopsticks. “Besides, maybe I have you now.”

The secretary’s head suddenly snaps back up to stare incredulously at his boss’ eyes.

“So am I to be your ‘love life’ or your ‘friend’?” Dongho asks in defiance.

Minhyun averts his eyes and Dongho can’t catch what kind of emotion crosses the other man’s features. “Isn't it obvious?”

“No, it’s not. Please elaborate,” is Dongho’s blunt reply.

“I want to have an enjoyable time with you,” Minhyun repeats exactly what he said the other night.

“What does that even mean?” The secretary asks with a frustrated, humorless laugh.

Minhyun hesitates and that makes Dongho pay close attention to him. “It means exactly that. I just don’t want you to expect something that I can’t give you.”

Dongho opens his mouth to snap a rude retort but, instead, he grabs his glass of wine and drinks everything in one go, cleaning the residual liquid from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

“This looks a lot like ‘running away’ to me,” Dongho comments while pouring another glass without looking at the other man who’s avidly following him with his eyes.

“I’m not,” Minhyun replies distractedly, more worried about taking the bottle away from Dongho, but the other man is faster and places it out of Minhyun’s reach. “What are you doing?”

Dongho looks down at the glass he’s holding and shrugs. “Drinking to forget what kind of asshole you are?” He drinks it in one go again and licks his wine red-tinted lips.

“Give me the bottle,” the CFO says lowly, frowning slightly when all Dongho does is serve another glass for himself.

“You can’t boss me around here; we are not at the office.” Without looking at Minhyun, he takes a few swallows of his freshly poured drink.

Minhyun’s expression contorts in frustration for a second. “You can’t even drink that much. Are you trying to… punish me?” He sounds confused and exasperated and maybe a little desperate as well when the secretary finishes yet another glass.

It’s Dongho’s time to frown, looking from his empty glass to Minhyun. “How do you know that?”

Minhyun finally stands up when Dongho lifts the bottle to his lips to finish off the wine straight from it. “Because I care,” Minhyun says resolutely and takes the bottle from Dongho’s hand.

The secretary finally lets him take it, and even if he’s not drunk yet, his brain-to-mouth filter is basically non-existent at this point when it’s usually already so bad. “You have a really weird way of showing that, then.”

“You keep asking me what I want from you, but what do you want from me?” Minhyun asks in frustration.

“A chance,” Dongho says at once, staring at him from his seat. “But you’re already closing that door and running away when you said you wouldn’t—”

“I’m _not_ running away!” Minhyun snaps and finally his impassive mask breaks. “I never said this would be easy. Can’t you just give me some time? Everything was different before I met you—”

Minhyun stops mid-sentence, closing his eyes in resignation and Dongho just keeps on looking at him, waiting for him to continue, not being able to hide his sudden intake of breath. When nothing comes, he prompts the other.

“What do you mean by that? Let me understand, Minhyun.”

“My life…” The man shakes his head and starts over. “You can’t expect me to change—for everything to change just like that. I wish things were easier, but they’re not.” He puts the almost empty bottle back on the table with a loud thud. “If you want this, you’re gonna have to be patient.”

“I waited a whole week after your little tantrum when I was just thinking of what to say!” Dongho exclaims indignant at the other man’s audacity. “It’s not my fault you can’t figure it out what you want!”

“I already said I want you!” Minhyun exclaims right back, and just like that, the rest of his calm and collected posture crumbles. “Why do I have to write an essay on that?!”

“An essay—” Dongho laughs indignantly, getting up from his seat. “I can’t fucking believe your nerve, Hwang Minhyun!”

“Can we not fight for once?!” Minhyun asks in the same tone, stepping closer to the other man. “Please? Can we… just…” He begs in a lower voice, frustration heavy in his tone but still with a hint of desperation.

“Fine!” The secretary snaps, then lowers his voice to match the other man’s. “Fine…” he sighs heavily, closing his eyes, but he shoots them open as soon as he feels Minhyun’s cold hands cradling his face.

Dongho’s heartbeat speeds up as he stares up at the other man who looks back at him intently. “Why do we keep fighting whenever we try to talk?” Minhyun murmurs from a very close distance.

“We suck at communication?” The secretary suggests, his tone barely vibrating in his chest as he breathes the words out.

Minhyun smiles at his response, and from up close, Dongho can confirm he’s the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

“We do,” the CFO replies, and he doesn’t waste another second before covering the other man’s lips with his in a soft kiss, and Dongho doesn’t stop him this time.

The secretary closes his eyes instinctively, his hands coming up to clutch Minhyun’s belt loops to pull him closer. The blood rushing loudly in his ears leaves him deaf for a moment but he’s too dazed to notice.

Why are they always fighting when they can have this?

Minhyun breaks the soft kiss only to go back to leave small lingering pecks on Dongho’s plump lips, not pushing the other man to take this any further, making Dongho smile against his mouth. When Minhyun finally stops after one last fleeting kiss, Dongho licks his lips so he can taste Minhyun on them.

Dongho doesn’t immediately open his eyes and he stays silent as he feels Minhyun’s warm breath on his mouth, the other man still close and now caressing his face softly with his thumbs.

“Can we compromise?” Minhyun asks quietly, urging Dongho to open his eyes.

Reluctantly and a little dazedly, Dongho does so, meeting the other man’s eyes.

“Okay.” He nods once, his voice coming out as a whisper. “But I’m gonna call you out if I see you’re not trying hard enough.”

Minhyun snorts and consents. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

* * *

The next morning, Dongho wakes up too early for a Saturday, but he’s suddenly unexpectedly wide awake and can’t go back to sleep, so he throws on a clean shirt and a soft pair of sweatpants before leaving his own room to go downstairs to meet Miyoung.

He can already smell the strong coffee scent before he’s done coming down the stairs and he greets Miyoung with a soft “good morning” before sitting down on one of the high stools surrounding the kitchen island.

“Do you need any help?” he murmurs, plopping his elbows without any manners on the cold marble top.

“It’s okay, dear, I’m almost done,” Miyoung replies with a kind smile, looking over at Dongho’s rumpled appearance endearingly. “Minhyun will be down in a minute, I’m sure.”

Just as she says that, Dongho opens his eyes to stare at the other man coming down the stairs in his socks, freshly showered and ready to leave for the day in one of his sharp suits that fits his shape perfectly.

As soon as their eyes meet, Minhyun looks surprised to see the other man there while Dongho feels his face flush with the memories of last night kiss.

“Good morning,” Dongho greets him, trying for a smile.

Minhyun doesn’t smile back but his eyes are soft as he looks at Dongho. “What are you doing up so early on a Saturday?”

“Why are you leaving for work on a Saturday?” The secretary shoots back without any heat.

Minhyun sighs. “I didn’t want to keep you waiting last night so I left some things to wrap up today.” He hesitates for less than a second before pulling a stool beside Dongho and sitting down on it.

Miyoung looks surprised to see that. “Are you staying for breakfast, Minhyunnie?”

The CFO kindly smiles at her, his eyes a little tired. “I guess.”

Dongho avidly takes in their soft interaction, feeling his heartbeat unexpectedly speed up.

“You never stay for breakfast?” He asks before he can stop himself.

Minhyun shakes his head as he watches Miyoung serves a table full of freshly-cooked side dishes on the island top. “Usually I don’t have time.”

Dongho is torn between gaping at the amount of food being served and staring at Minhyun curiously. The latter wins.

“Why are you staying today?”

Minhyun takes one small bowl of rice and looks at him sideways. “I’m compromising.”

Dongho feels his heart speed up and hammer against his ribcage almost to the point of hurting. He shouldn’t be feeling like this; it’s too soon and the other man is barely trying.

Looking back at Minhyun’s intense eyes, Dongho decides to try his luck anyway.

“You should compromise some more and stay home today.”

Miyoung stops serving the dishes once she hears that, looking back and forth between the two men expectantly, not making any sound in fear of being discovered eavesdropping.

Minhyun smiles ruefully. “You’re pushing your luck, Kang.”

“It’s Dongho, we are not at the office,” Dongho shoots back.

That makes Minhyun stop. The man takes a deep breath after returning his rice bowl back to the island top.

“If you don’t want me to drag you back to the bedroom, you should stop that.” He finally looks at Dongho and the secretary is shocked to notice how the man’s pupils are blown wide and almost overtaking his irises.

The secretary feels a sudden urge to get up and take Minhyun’s mouth in a searing kiss, but Miyoung finally makes her presence known again.

“Shouldn’t you two be discussing this particular point of your relationship in private?”

Startled back into reality, with his face an impressive fireman red, Dongho feels like dying of mortification, but Minhyun surprisingly only laughs at Miyoung’s antics. “Should you even be eavesdropping in the first place?”

Miyoung only _tsks_ at him with a fond smile on her lips, finishing with the breakfast set up before cleaning her hands to leave. “I’ll leave you two love birds alone. Don’t dirty my kitchen.”

She winks at Dongho before leaving, and the man finally loses his internal battle against his will to be strong and not cover his face with his hands in embarrassment.

“Just kill me now.” He groans pitifully into his hands.

Minhyun places a hand on Dongho’s nape, ruffling his hair a bit. “You’ll get used to her.”

Meanwhile, Dongho has now his eyes wide open in shock under his hands that are still covering his bowed down face as he feels Minhyun caressing his hair.

Yes, it’s too soon to feel like this. Totally.

* * *

Minhyun doesn’t really stay after breakfast, but it’s okay and Dongho doesn’t push him. You win some, you lose some.

As soon as Minhyun leaves for the office, Dongho tags along with Miyoung to help clean the mess they all made during breakfast. While putting the dishes in the dishwasher for her, he discovers that Minhyun never really has his meals as soon as Miyoung finishes cooking them, seeing as the CFO always leaves too early for work and doesn’t come back until much later, when Miyoung has already gone home.

She tells Dongho that the man usually heats up all the food she prepares in the microwave when he gets home late at night and that he always eats by himself. When Dongho asks her if it has always been like this, she doesn’t go into much detail, only saying that it got worse after Minhyun came back from overseas when he finished his studies. She says he suddenly closed off and pushed everyone away from his life, but that’s about it.

Dongho keeps Miyoung company for the rest of the day without getting in the way of her usual tasks, but as soon as she’s done with everything, the secretary insists that it’s okay if she leaves early. He can take care of anything that might come up and he’s lived alone for too many years by now that he won’t die of starvation.

Miyoung looks skeptical but she’s a little glad to be leaving earlier than usual, and she thanks Dongho for insisting in the first place.

As soon as Dongho is left alone in the big house, he sees his first opportunity to explore and try to find out more about the mysterious man. It’s just past 6pm and he has some time before Minhyun gets home, so he goes straight for the man’s bedroom, hesitating for just a second before turning the doorknob.

He knows he’s overstepping and crossing so many lines, but the secretary is just that desperate to try and understand what goes on inside Minhyun’s head.

Dongho finds the door unlocked and goes inside, discovering a very neat bedroom decorated in light, warm colors, with a wooden floor bed facing the double height windows that are currently covered by dark, earth-colored curtains. It smells strongly of Minhyun inside, his musky perfume impregnated in the air and marking this space as being obviously his.

The secretary looks around curiously before walking towards the windows and opening the curtains wide to see the view from Minhyun’s bedroom. The sun is just setting behind the Seoul skyscrapers and Dongho is able to catch the sunlight painting the clear sky a beautiful messy mix of yellow, orange, and pink.

He loses track of time as he witnesses the sky slowly turn a dark shade of blue and Dongho only realizes he probably spent way too much time just examining the view from Minhyun’s bedroom when he hears the front door opening and closing. He rushes out of the bedroom, quickly closing the door behind him and coming face to face with Minhyun coming up the stairs.

The secretary must look startled because Minhyun’s eyebrows rise in surprise at seeing him there in the middle of the corridor, still wearing the same outfit from this morning.

“Is everything okay?” Minhyun asks in concern.

Dongho smiles brightly, too brightly. “Everything is fine. You are early. I just came up to go take a shower.” He motions with his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his bedroom.

The CFO stares at him for a minute too long, his face impassive before he finally replies. “Don’t let me stop you, then. You probably stink.”

The smile promptly drops off Dongho’s face. “Rude.”

Minhyun smirks and ruffles the other man’s hair as he walks past him to head to his own bedroom.

The secretary’s ears flush a hot shade of red and he doesn’t call Minhyun out this time since he’s too busy quickly hiding himself in his bedroom, hoping the other man doesn’t notice that he was being a major creep going over his stuff.

* * *

An hour later, after taking a shower and changing into a clean shirt and another pair of jogging pants, Dongho is bored out of his mind because of being locked inside his room.

He’s been looking out the window, lost in his own thoughts about what to make of their new relationship status—if he can even call it that when they can’t establish anything aside from compromising —when he decides to go down stairs to heat up some of the leftover food Miyoung had prepared before leaving.

Dongho finds Minhyun already in the kitchen, barefoot and wearing a blue sleeveless shirt and a light gray pair of sweatpants, eating straight from the plastic container, apparently not bothering to heat anything up in the microwave.

“You didn’t ask me to have dinner tonight,” Dongho jokes, approaching the island top where a bunch of other plastic containers were left open by the other man.

“You can always ask me to dinner yourself,” Minhyun replies after swallowing the food, following Dongho with his eyes as he keeps on eating like he’s starving.

“Alright. Have dinner with me?” The secretary asks before he can overthink too much, feeling his heartbeat speed up at his own forwardness, not looking at the other man, who’s currently resting his back against the kitchen island as he’s too busy trying to hide his nerves while pretending to check the food on the counter.

“Come here.” Minhyun drops his chopsticks inside the container he’s holding, and with his now free hand, he catches Dongho by surprise by grabbing his wrist to pull him closer until the other man stops in front of him.

Dongho has to catch himself against the marble top on each side of Minhyun so he doesn’t fall headfirst into his boss. “Jesus, stop with the caveman act, I can walk.”

“Try this.” Minhyun ignores the jab, picking his chopsticks back up to get some of the food he was eating and offers it to Dongho, who instinctively opens his mouth to be hand fed.

“Urgh, it’s cold,” he complains with his mouth still full while stepping back, but he’s still too close for comfort. “You’re disgusting.”

“It’s still good.” The CFO shrugs unbothered and keeps on eating the fridge-cold food.

Dongho finally swallows, smacking his lips in mock distaste. “You’re lucky halmeonim is a great cook.”

“She’s been with me for so long I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything different, unless I’m travelling or eating out,” he replies after swallowing his own food, and he offers Dongho some more.

Reluctantly, Dongho accepts. “She told me you barely eat at home.” He chews with his mouth open and he’s sure Minhyun can see the food inside his mouth.

“You have no manners.” Minhyun pulls a face, covering Dongho’s mouth with his hand. “And I don’t have much time to just be at home and keep her company.”

Dongho pushes his hand away with a snort. “You have this much money, but you don’t enjoy the perks?”

“I enjoy it enough.” He licks his lips while dropping the container back on the island top and taking a different one.

“How?” Dongho intervenes, catching the container off his boss’ hand to take it to the microwave, setting it to a minute to heat. “You buy cars you don’t drive?” He suggests mockingly.

Minhyun sighs, crossing his arms as he watches the secretary command his kitchen. “Well, you drove it.”

“We are not talking about me and those cars aren’t mine.” He turns to face Minhyun while the food is heating, raising one eyebrow inquisitively at him.

“Do you want one?” The CFO asks calmly, making the other man laugh for a moment at the absurdity of it.

“A week ago, you could barely look in my direction and now you want to give me a billion won car?” Still laughing incredulously, Dongho then turns around to get the food once the microwave beeps, indicating that it’s done.

“A week ago, I didn’t know how you felt.” It’s his simple enough answer that almost makes Dongho drop the hot container he was holding.

“And now you know how I feel?” Dongho asks matter-of-factly, pretending his blood isn’t rushing madly in his ears.

“Not really, but at least you’re not being so difficult anymore,” Minhyun says meaningfully but Dongho stops short, looking back at him in exasperation for the jab. He purposefully puts the hot container on the other man’s hand, who takes it instinctively with a painful wince, feeling his palms burn before the secretary finally pities him and shoves a dishcloth between his hand and the plastic container.

“You’re evil,” Minhyun says in awe.

“So, you want to give me a car now?” Dongho pointedly changes the subject back to what they were discussing, now handing Minhyun his chopsticks back.

“I’m compromising.”

“By giving me a car?” Dongho deadpans.

“I can give you anything you want.” Minhyun shrugs, finally eating some of the heated-up food.

The secretary suddenly frowns watching the other man eat. “Is that what this is to you?”

That makes Minhyun stop mid-chew. He swallows heavily and looks back at the other man in confusion. “I want to take care of you.”

“By giving me a car,” Dongho deadpans again. “You’re so bad at this.”

“You’re not much better yourself.” He raises both eyebrows and offers Dongho some of the food as a peace offering, looking at him expectantly.

The secretary scoffs and gets closer to him, accepting the food Minhyun feeds directly to his mouth. “I’m _way_ better than you.”

Minhyun shrugs and cleans the corner of Dongho’s mouth with his thumb as it ended up getting dirty when Minhyun hand fed him. “Well, you probably had experience.”

Dongho is too shocked to absorb the other man’s unexpected caring gesture, his mouth hanging open still full of food. “No way.”

The CFO pulls a face again and pushes Dongho’s jaw up to close his mouth. “I really didn’t need to see that.”

“Don’t change the subject!” The secretary blushes and swallows quickly just to please the other man. “Are you kidding me?!”

“I already told you I don’t have much time for trivialities.” Minhyun goes back to eating his food as if this is just your usual dinner conversation, but his bright red ears give him away.

“Are you always this stuck up?” Dongho laughs at the term ‘trivialities’. “Wait—never mind, of course you are.”

“Are you making fun of me?” Minhyun eyes him suspiciously.

“Of you being a big virgin? Of course not, I’d never,” is Dongho’s solemn reply.

“I’m not a virgin!” The way Minhyun sounds so offended makes Dongho crack up and he laughs so hard he has to clutch his stomach. “Are you quite done?” Minhyun deadpans.

“Quite,” Dongho croaks after a while, residual laughter still bursting from his chest to his lips. He dries his eyes just to make a show of it, so he ends up not seeing Minhyun cleaning his mouth with a napkin after placing the food back on the kitchen island, nor when the other man approaches him.

“Well, I’m not.” The seriousness in Minhyun’s voice startles Dongho and when he catches the other man looking so intently at him—when did he get so close? His brain kind of short-circuits. “I haven’t even started yet.”

“Minhyun—”

Dongho doesn’t get to finish because Minhyun shuts him up with a hard kiss, his hand coming around to hold Dongho by the back of his neck, making him tilt his head back to accept the kiss.

The shorter man moans in surprise and Minhyun takes advantage of it when he pushes his tongue inside Dongho’s mouth, and this is bad, this is really bad, because Dongho doesn’t even think about fighting it.

Shoving his tongue against Minhyun’s instead, Dongho gives as good as he gets, exploring the other man’s mouth, licking him wetly and sucking on his bottom lip. Dongho’s hands come up to hold Minhyun around the waist, pulling him closer instinctively.

Breathing heavily through his nose, Minhyun presses himself closer, making the other man step back until his back hits the countertop behind him and Dongho has to quickly catch himself before he doubles over with the intensity of the other man’s strides.

Without breaking the kiss, Minhyun pushes Dongho until he gets the hint and climbs on the countertop, sitting on it and quickly opening his legs so Minhyun can fit his body between them.

Dongho is rapidly losing control, getting intoxicated by the other man’s taste and the way he touches his body like a starved man seeking release. He moans as Minhyun starts rubbing his still mostly soft cock against his, and he wraps his legs around the other man’s waist to keep him close and moving.

“What happened?” The secretary breathes heavily against Minhyun’s mouth, trying to rub himself against him but his current position isn’t helping him. “This came out of nowhere…”

“I’ve been wanting to do this since this morning.” Minhyun bites Dongho’s bottom lip, licking it as soon as its released, leaving it moist and plump and red, just how he likes it. “You just gave me the perfect excuse.”

Dongho doesn’t answer immediately, his eyes closing as he gets lost in the sensation of Minhyun thrusting his slowly hardening cock against his. The secretary feels his body starts to buzz with anticipation, his loose pants not hiding how the other man makes him feel as he drags his lips against Dongho’s jaw, leaving a wet trail until he reaches Dongho’s neck, biting and sucking the fair skin until he leaves a mark.

“You’re not… you’re not really talking about you being a virgin, right?” The secretary gasps a little wildly with all the sensations, not really believing that this was what finally pushed the other man over the edge. “It’s okay if you’re a virgin, Minhyun, I don’t care,” he teases

He never said he was a nice guy.

Minhyun stops kissing his neck and moving his hips to raise his head to stare a little dazedly at Dongho, his mouth red with all the biting and kissing they have been doing up until now. Without warning, he grabs the waist of Dongho’s pants and rips it down, startling a laugh out of the shorter man who lets his head fall back as Minhyun finishes taking his pants off and he catches himself with his hands on the kitchen counter behind him.

“Fuck— Wait—” Dongho asks quickly, still laughing a little but finally catching up with the fact that he’s half naked in the middle of Minhyun’s kitchen with his now hard cock hanging heavily between his legs. He feels himself flush and he covers his modesty with the hem of his shirt. “We shouldn’t really dirty Miyoung’s kitchen.”

That finally rips a surprised laugh out of Minhyun, and he looks so fucking beautiful when he smiles so openly that Dongho is suddenly hit with the realization of how much he wants to keep making Minhyun look so carefree like that instead of looking like his usual stuck-up self.

With his free hand, Dongho touches Minhyun’s face softly, catching the other man’s attention as he looks back at Dongho with a smile. The secretary feels his chest tighten at how ethereal Minhyun looks right then and he doesn’t hesitate before sliding his hand slowly to the back of Minhyun’s head to bring him closer, his fingers entwining with the other man’s soft hair strands.

“Kiss me again,” Dongho begs against Minhyun’s lips, and the other man easily complies.

This time, the kiss is soft, not really tentative but also not as demanding as their previous ones. He feels Minhyun’s hands coming around his waist to hug him, and he finally lets go of his shirt, his legs once again wrapping around Minhyun’s waist to keep him close.

Minhyun’s sweet tongue searches for his, his head tilting to fit their mouths together in a slow sensual kiss. Dongho gets lost in the sensation of the other man around him, holding him, touching him, and in that moment he has no idea how he got so lucky.

He moans against Minhyun’s mouth, his hard length currently forgotten over his need to have Minhyun even closer, to taste him, to imprint this man’s everything into his memory.

The kiss slowly gets heated again when Minhyun’s hands start searching his body, first sliding up under Dongho’s shirt to touch him all over and Dongho is sure he’s a mess between his legs with how much precome is coming out of his cock.

Minhyun’s breathing gets heavier and he pants between kisses, his hands finally coming down to grab Dongho’s ass, but he moans in frustration when their current position doesn’t allow him to do so. He suddenly tugs Dongho forward towards the edge of the counter until the other man is forced to drop his legs from their previous position around Minhyun’s waist to catch his fall, now once again standing against Minhyun, and the man wastes no time in pulling Dongho closer by his firm ass.

Dongho is about try and push Minhyun’s shirt over his head and out of the way when the other man starts kissing wetly down his neck, leaving small love bites along the way, and he helps Dongho take off his shirt instead, only to keep on lowering himself against Dongho’s body, still leaving kisses in its wake.

“What are you doing?” Dongho pants dazedly, one of his hands supporting his weight behind himself on the counter and the other still holding Minhyun by the back of his neck, touching him softly in his lust induced state.

“I wanna suck you off,” Minhyun murmurs against the skin of Dongho’s firm abdomen, licking a wet streak until he reaches his pelvis, making Dongho close his eyes tightly willing himself not to come yet over just the other man’s words alone. “Can I?” he asks softly, and Dongho can already feel his breath on his naked and sensitive skin.

“Fuck, Minhyun—_please_!” he cries keeping his eyes shut tight as he finally, _finally_ feels Minhyun’s warm mouth engulfing the head of his cock.

He moans wantonly, his head falling back as he feels Minhyun licking the slit at the top to taste his precome, and the CFO shows no hesitation as he wraps his mouth tightly around the glans, sliding his lips down wetly until he has almost all of Dongho inside his mouth.

“Oh my god…” Dongho pants, finally making himself look down to witness this, and as soon as he catches sight of Minhyun looking up at him with his soft red lips wrapped around his skin, a hot spur of precome leaves his cock straight inside Minhyun’s mouth, who closes his eyes and moans like he loves the taste of it.

Minhyun flattens his tongue against the underside of Dongho’s cock and he licks upwards until only the head remains inside his mouth, leaving the rest of the flushed skin glistening with saliva. The CFO wraps a hand around Dongho’s freed length, pumping it slowly as he sucks wetly around the head, and he moans against the sensitive skin, the vibration sending a wave of pleasure through Dongho’s body.

Dongho’s hand tightens on Minhyun’s hair then, pulling the other man delicately closer, and Minhyun just lets him, opening his mouth wider to accommodate his length, to take him deeper, letting Dongho hit the head of his cock against the back of his throat with a moan.

“I won’t last long…” Dongho groans, pushing his hips forward and Minhyun swallows against Dongho’s sensitive skin, making Dongho almost lose it right then.

The secretary forces himself to open his eyes and to really take in the scene displayed in front of him. Minhyun, on his knees, massaging his own hard cock over his sweatpants, his abused lips wrapped around Dongho’s length, sucking the other man deep into his mouth with a wet mess of saliva dripping down his chin.

Minhyun looks so lost in what he’s doing, like sucking Dongho off gives him pleasure, not just in the essence of the word, but a real, bone-crushing pleasure, and as Dongho caresses his face, Minhyun opens his wet eyes to stare at the other man like he’d rather be here than anywhere else in the world.

Dongho is hit with a hot wave of pleasure, feeling its flames lick inside of him, consuming him, and without warning he’s coming inside Minhyun’s mouth, closing his eyes tightly against the urge to shove his dick far deeper into the other man’s throat.

Minhyun keeps sucking him off, almost to the point of making Dongho oversensitive, finally releasing him and, discreetly, he spits on the floor, cleaning his mouth with the back of his hand.

Dongho is still catching his breath with his eyes closed, his body supported by his hands against the edge of the countertop, when Minhyun gets up off the floor, not wasting any time in kissing Dongho messily on the mouth, making the other man taste himself on his lips.

The secretary kisses him back immediately, hugging him tight and feeling the other man’s hard cock against his pelvis.

“Fuck, you didn’t come—” he pants against Minhyun’s lips, unwilling to stop the kiss although his legs feel like jelly and he could drop on the floor at any minute.

“Turn around,” Minhyun murmurs, and he doesn’t wait for Dongho to comply, turning the other man around himself and making Dongho brace his hands on the kitchen counter in the process.

The secretary is too dazed to really catch up when Minhyun pushes his own pants down without stepping out of them and lifts his shirt over his head, leaving it stuck behind his neck and shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Dongho licks his suddenly dry lips, looking over his shoulder to see Minhyun spitting on his hand and wrapping it around his flushed red cock, spreading saliva all over the hard length before covering Dongho’s back with his whole body from head to toe. “Are you going to fuck me like this?” Dongho wishes his voice didn’t sound so high pitched then.

Minhyun laughs breathlessly. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not _that_ much of an asshole.” Dongho’s eyes snap up to stare at Minhyun’s as he feels the other man’s arm wrap around his waist in a tight hug and his other hand fit his cock against the crease between Dongho’s ass cheeks. “Don’t worry, I’m not putting it in dry.” He whispers against Dongho’s ear, making him close his eyes as he feels goosebumps ripping across his skin.

Minhyun starts thrusting in earnest, the length of his slick cock sliding wetly between Dongho’s ass cheeks, and he moans against Dongho’s ear as he hugs the other man’s back tightly against his front, Dongho finally resting his head back on Minhyun’s sweaty shoulder. The other man’s whole body is coated with sweat and Dongho feels his back sliding against Minhyun’s chest as the man keeps on moving against his ass, feeling him so intimately close but still not close enough.

“Do you like this?” The secretary pants, finally catching up and feeling himself blush with the intimacy of the act, having to firmly support himself against the countertop so he doesn’t double over with the force of Minhyun’s thrusts as the other man’s hips are pistoning against his flesh.

“Next time, I’m putting it in.” He kisses Dongho’s shoulder and smiles against the sweaty skin, using his free hand to brush Dongho’s wet hair away from his eyes and catching Dongho by surprise since he didn’t realize he was sweating this much.

“You wish.” Dongho laughs breathlessly, turning his head slightly to look over his shoulder, catching Minhyun’s lust-dazed eyes, and the other man doesn’t waste any time before kissing him messily due to the awkward position, keeping Dongho close like he feels some kind of primal urge to keep him there.

Dongho kisses him back, raising one of his hands to catch Minhyun by the back of his neck, rubbing his ass back experimentally to see what kind of reaction he gets. He’s rewarded by a guttural moan that leaves Minhyun’s chest through his mouth, and as soon as he tightens his ass cheeks around Minhyun’s cock, the other man is coming all over him, moaning wantonly against his mouth.

Minhyun only stops his motions after a few more thrusts against the mess he made on Dongho’s most private parts, and he keeps the man there, against his sweaty body, as he tries to catch his breath.

In the sudden quiet that embraces the house once everything is over, as their breathing slows down and goes back to normal, Minhyun cheekily murmurs against Dongho’s ear. “How’s that for a virgin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for all the lovely comments you guys have been leaving on this story. it means the world to me, you have no idea how they keep me motivated to keep on writing when all i do is doubt myself. i love every single one of you ;_; i know this story has been frustrating for some of you because minhyun and dongho are dumb idiots, but keep in mind that people _are_ dumb and difficult and i have no other excuse for it aside from that so thank you for bearing with me and for not giving up on this story haha <3
> 
> and as usual, enormous thanks to Akane for the amazing beta work and Neena for the lovely cover art that illustrates this story so perfectly.
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter ._.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> happy birthday, cookie! <3 i hope you like this chapter, bb!

Dongho wakes up with his head pillowed on a flat yet very comfortable surface. He doesn’t think anything of it as he hugs his firm pillow tighter against his chest and goes back to sleep, only his pillow starts to rise and fall softly. Instantly, Dongho’s body goes rigid as his memory catches up with yesterday’s events.

_“How is that for a virgin?”_

_Dongho takes a minute for the question to really sink in, but as soon as it does, his body convulses with uncontrollable laughter and he finally dislodges the other man’s body from his._

_“How old _are_ you?” The secretary asks between some well-deserved intakes of breath. He’s still completely worn out after what they had just done, but Minhyun is simply unbelievable. _

_“I’m glad you find me amusing.”_

_Dongho finally turns around, still naked from the waist down, with his shirt barely covering his private parts, to find Minhyun giving him a tiny smile, already with his pants pulled back up but without his shirt._

_“Oh, you can take a joke after all.” Still smiling but now feeling extremely naked all of a sudden, Dongho looks around to search for his discarded pants, pulling the hem of his shirt down to cover himself, when in reality he’s just too embarrassed to look the other man in the eyes._

_“Looking for these?” Minhyun’s voice sounds teasing and the secretary chances a look back at him, only to see the other man holding his sweatpants. When Dongho tries to grab them, Minhyun raises the clothing high above his head, way higher than Dongho can reach._

_“You really are a twelve-year-old, aren’t you?” Dongho rolls his eyes, not risking letting go of his shirt and exposing himself. He grabs for the other man’s hand, while yet again averting his eyes._

_Noticing Dongho’s avoidance, the CFO tries to catch the secretary’s eyes by stepping closer and crouching a little, still smiling slightly, but when he’s unsuccessful, he decides to be bolder. He pushes his body against Dongho’s, crowding him against the fridge, and the secretary’s breath catches in his throat as he’s taken by surprise, finally looking up to see Minhyun already staring intently at him._

_“Don’t put it back on,” the CFO murmurs, his contained smile diminishing as he drops Dongho’s pants thoughtlessly on the floor instead making a grab for the other man’s shirt. “Let’s take a shower together.”_

_Dongho resists, preventing Minhyun from pulling his shirt up and leaving him completely naked in the other man’s kitchen, but his heartbeat is hammering against his ribcage again._

_“You’re dressed, why can’t I have my shirt and pants before I go upstairs with you?” He asks defiantly, although his voice is low and breathy._

_“This way you can’t run again.” _

_The secretary’s body sags against the cold surface of the fridge, his chest rising and falling with every painful breath he takes after hearing the other man’s words. He makes a point of keeping his eyes locked on the other man’s, mutely raising his arms above his head to let Minhyun take the rest of his clothes off._

_The CFO wastes no time in removing Dongho’s shirt, and the secretary feels his entire body heating up, too self-conscious as he feels Minhyun’s eyes travelling the expanse of his naked body, taking in every detail and every curve of it._

_“Look at me,” Minhyun whispers, and Dongho opens his eyes to stare at the other man right in front of him. “You’re beautiful,” he says, and even while whispering, Minhyun’s voice sounds earnest and sincere, and Dongho feels a blush tinting his cheeks. “Stay with me tonight?”_

_Feeling his heart almost leap out of his chest, Dongho takes in Minhyun’s request, resisting the urge to cover his body with his hands. He feels his most intimate parts still smeared with Minhyun’s come while the other man’s smell and sweat is still spread all over his heated flesh. How could he deny him that after everything?_

_“I wasn’t going anywhere, Minhyun.”_

Dongho slowly returns to the present, still remembering how they went straight to Minhyun’s room (who had finally crouched down to get Dongho’s sweatpants to hand them back to the secretary so he wouldn’t have to walk around naked), how they took a shower together as promised but didn’t take things further (as Dongho had imagined Minhyun would), and how the CFO mutely pulled him to bed, hugging Dongho’s back against his chest comfortably before falling asleep.

Apparently, the secretary had decided to turn around during the night to hug the other man and use his chest as a human pillow (all unintentionally, of course).

Licking his lips nervously, he slowly raises his head, and his biggest fear comes true when he finds Minhyun’s eyes already open, staring back at him amusedly with his tablet in hand, already working—or trying to.

“You sleep like a rock.”

Dongho snorts and hides his face in the other man’s chest before lifting his body into a sitting position, his legs crossed with a pillow between them and a sheet messily thrown over his shoulders.

“I’m terrible at waking up in the morning,” he croaks out as a confession, his voice still heavy with sleep and his curly hair a wild mess, sticking up in every direction.

Minhyun takes in his secretary’s current state with amusement—or so Dongho thinks.

Anyone else watching would say Minhyun looks at him with eyes full of fondness.

“I noticed. I’ve been trying to wake you up for the past hour so I could leave for work, but you only hugged me tighter.” The CFO raises an eyebrow and—is that a teasing smirk? Dongho must be imagining it. He rubs his sleep-crusted eyes.

“I did not—wait, are you going to work again on a Sunday?” Dongho frowns, finally catching up with what the other man said.

“I have a few things to take care of in the office, but I’ll be back for lunch.” He doesn’t really sound apologetic like the workaholic that he is.

“What time is it?” Dongho’s frown deepens as he searches for his phone, finding it on the bedside table. “It’s only seven, what the—stay for breakfast, at least.”

When Dongho glances back at Minhyun after checking the time on his phone, the other man is already getting up in just his sweatpants to go take a shower and get changed for the day without further discussion.

“It’s work,” Minhyun points out dryly as an explanation, not stopping until he’s already on his feet.

“It’s Sunday,” Dongho corrects.

Minhyun snorts, turning to get a glimpse of Dongho still sitting cross-legged on the bed, all rumpled and soft from sleep, and that’s when the secretary sees the first crack. The CFO looks conflicted for a second, clearly wanting to stay but unwilling to abandon his work, and that’s such a novelty that Dongho decides to push him just a little bit more to see if he breaks.

“I stayed last night,” Dongho blurts out before he regrets it, and he doesn’t give the other man time to react before he continues. “Can’t you stay as well?”

It’s Minhyun’s turn to frown, and if Dongho had peered more closely at the man’s sudden expression, he would have noticed that Minhyun looked a little stricken.

“Alright…” Minhyun nods once after a stretched-out moment of silence, averting his eyes and rubbing a hand through his soft-looking hair, which Dongho can now attest is, in fact, very soft. “But halmeoni doesn’t come in today and I can’t cook.”

“I’ve been living alone for seven years, I think I can manage to cook something edible for us.” A smile starts to tug on the secretary’s lips and he quickly gets off the bed to look for his shirt on the floor, but he ends up wearing Minhyun’s once he remembers he left his downstairs last night. Minhyun looks at him up and down with an indecipherable glint in his eyes after Dongho gets dressed, but he drops the look entirely when the other man continues. “You can be my sous-chef.”

It’s going to be a long morning.

* * *

“Who doesn’t have bread in their house?!”

Dongho is a little scandalized by this turn of events.

“I’m barely at home, Dongho,” Minhyun replies in a deadpan manner. To the untrained eye, he would have looked impassive, but the secretary is already able to catch the amusement in the other man’s eyes.

And Dongho does _not_ feel his stomach flutter in a pleasing way _at all_.

“Which brings us back to what we were discussing last night—”

Dongho is determined to make this unusual situation seem normal, as if he’s just going downstairs from his apartment to his friend’s family restaurant to see if he can score some free kimchi to complement his ramen (he’s not proud to admit to this but eomoni always welcomes him when he shows up—which reminds him, he should check up on them).

“—You have all of this but you don’t eat at home,” he continues as he grabs a few items off the fridge to start on what could be a passable breakfast, motioning vaguely in the direction of the opulent kitchen as he does so. “You have all those cars, but your bodyguard is the one driving them; you have halmeonim, but you barely keep her company…”

After cleaning the mess they made on the kitchen counter the night before (while wearing a pair of yellow rubber gloves, the neat freak) and putting Dongho’s discarded shirt in the hamper (much to Dongho’s mortification), Minhyun is now comfortably sitting on one of the high stools with his folded arms resting against the cool marble surface of the kitchen island, staring at the secretary moving around his kitchen like he owns it.

“You look good in my kitchen wearing my clothes.” Minhyun interrupts Dongho’s train of thought, almost making the other man drop the bag of bean sprouts he was taking out of the fridge. “Not wearing them as well.”

“Don’t change the subject,” he huffs, ignoring how he can feel the tips of his ears heating up with embarrassment. “And you're not going to be just sitting there, you’re going to help.”

The smirk on Minhyun’s face drops immediately as he finds himself with an armful of bean sprouts. “Are you sure you’re gonna trust me with this?” Minhyun says, looking adorably confused and doubtful.

That rips a good-natured laugh from Dongho. “You look like you’re going to be dissecting a body. They’re just bean sprouts.”

“I’m going to ruin it,” the CFO blurts out.

“It’s ok, we all fuck up sometimes.” Chuckling, he squeezes Minhyun’s arm in reassurance, and he doesn’t notice how friendly he’s being because that’s how he usually treats people when they aren’t being major assholes.

When Minhyun doesn’t respond, Dongho glances up uncertainly at the other man to find him quietly staring at Dongho, as if the secretary somehow holds all the answers he needs in his warm hazel eyes. The CFO’s expression softens with each passing second that they remain in silence, and Dongho is taken aback by it, his good-natured smile slowly dropping, replaced by an expression of doubt.

“Did I say something wrong?”

Minhyun shakes his head, almost like he’s getting out of a trance. “No, you’re hardly ever wrong, actually.”

For once, Dongho doesn’t notice how his own cheeks tint a soft rouge due to the other man’s unexpected words because he’s too busy closing his eyes, and all of a sudden he’s feeling Minhyun’s dry lips on his in a gentle, fleeting kiss.

When Minhyun steps back, he seems a little surprised by his own spontaneous act, and he clears his throat before continuing. “So how do I bake this thing?”

Shaking his head to snap himself out of his daydream, Dongho suddenly laughs at the other man’s cluelessness. “We don’t bake them, we _cook_ them.”

After that, they work in a somewhat comfortable silence, with Minhyun following Dongho’s instructions attentively as they cook their breakfast. Luckily, the secretary finds some leftover kimchi in the fridge (bless halmeonim) so everything else is quick and easy to prepare.

Minhyun mostly stays out of the way, but they still manage to bump shoulders a few times, making both of them laugh in embarrassment because of their clumsiness, and it’s okay because it’s only their first time cooking together.

When that thought crosses his mind, Dongho gets so distracted he almost slips on a wet patch on the floor, bracing himself at the last minute against the kitchen counter to stop himself from falling, and he barely hears Minhyun mumbling an apology for dropping the soy sauce.

Trying to muffle how giddy he suddenly feels at that thought alone, Dongho carelessly slaps Minhyun’s hand away when he finds him trying to steal an egg roll, and he starts to set the table so they can finally eat.

They sit side by side at the table in the dining room connected to the kitchen, and Minhyun is already serving himself when the front door suddenly opens, and a jaw-droppingly good-looking woman steps inside like she owns the place and is very used to being around. She unceremoniously removes her warm trendy overcoat before hanging it by the door, while Dongho and Minhyun stare at her in different levels of shock. After taking a closer look, Dongho thinks she certainly reminds him of someone, but he’s too dumbfounded by her sudden entrance to say anything. Apparently, so is Minhyun.

“Hwang Minhyun, I can’t believe you.” The woman smiles widely in their direction, walking towards them after taking off her shoes and leaving them messily by the door, much to Minhyun’s chagrin. “I couldn’t believe it when halmeoni told me, I had to come check for myself.”

Minhyun looks like he has seen a ghost, his whitewashed complexion taking Dongho by surprise more than the sudden presence of the woman itself.

_Is Minhyun okay? Who is this person?_

She waits a few beats for Minhyun to introduce her, but when the introduction doesn’t come—what with her brother being too surprised by her presence to find his tongue, she takes matters into her own hands.

“Since Minhyunnie isn’t going to introduce us, hi. I’m Hwang Sujin, his noona.” She smiles warmly in Dongho’s direction, finally answering his silent question,

_Oh, it’s the beautiful woman in one of the few pictures around Minhyun’s house,_ Dongho thinks numbly when the resemblance finally clicks. During their whole interaction, Minhyun remains quiet as he stares at his sister, white as a sheet.

“Uh, hi. I’m Dongho—Kang Dongho,” he stammers, still clutching his chopsticks uselessly. He’s just glad he decided to put on a shirt, even if it’s Minhyun’s.

Sujin’s smile broadens and she suddenly turns to Minhyun with an eyeroll. “Snap out of it, big head.”

The CFO finally shakes his head, coming back from wherever he went to inside his head. “What are you doing here?” he asks impassively, but there’s no actual heat behind his words. Even to Dongho, who barely knows either of them, Minhyun just sounds wary at best. “Weren’t you in New York for your fashion show?”

“Here I thought you’d say you missed me.” She _tsk_s, shaking her head in mock scolding. Sujin changes tactics, moving her sharp fox-like eyes back to Dongho, who had been staring at them in silence while absorbing the siblings’ dynamics. “So, Kang Dongho—”

Minhyun interrupts her when he sees Dongho’s desperate, deer-in-the-headlights expression, finally taking charge of the situation. “Alright, I missed you. But I still don’t know what you’re doing here.”

Sujin sits down uninvited on one of the vacant chairs around the table, and she finally catches sight of the full set of breakfast food. “Halmeoni doesn’t come on Sundays and Minhyun can’t cook to save his life—Did you make this, Dongho?” She doesn’t reply to Minhyun’s question, her eyes now gazing at Dongho with a soft smile on her lips, and when all the secretary does is widen his eyes and nod mutely, she coos. “Oh, the domesticity—”

“_Noona_,” Minhyun interrupts once again, his voice a little sharper, and Dongho is back at staring back and forth between the brother and sister like this is some crazy tennis match. “What are you doing here?”

She sighs dramatically, but her eyes glint mischievously as she responds, “I came in to check if my little brother really grew some balls and said fuck it to dad’s expectations and moved in with his boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend—”

“I didn’t move in—”

Minhyun and Dongho start at the same time, startled by Sujin’s assumption for very different reasons, and they look at each other in a mix of confusion and hurt. Dongho immediately feels part of the warmth in his chest freeze and his heart break after hearing Minhyun finally say what he had been avoiding this whole time. Of course Dongho knows they aren’t dating—they barely managed to talk and get their shit straight, but to hear the other man dismiss whatever this is, is disheartening to say the least.

Dongho averts his eyes as Minhyun continues to look at him a little desperately, trying to save the situation after seeing some sort of emotion cross the secretary’s face.

The CFO starts, still peering at Dongho. “He did move in though, for the unforeseeable future—”

“—Unforeseeable future?!” Dongho startles out of his despairing thoughts, his eyes going wide as he stares back at Minhyun. He’s a little alarmed by this new revelation, but that doesn’t stop the other man’s discourse.

“—But that’s none of your business, noona,” the CFO finishes, finally looking back at Sujin who had been avidly staring at them with a confused yet hopeful expression.

“What do you mean he didn’t move in permanently? Why is he here then?”

Minhyun sighs when his sister simply ignores the last part of his statement, and he ends up hardening his features. “That’s for grown-ups, you wouldn’t understand,” he says mockingly, like any brother would do to annoy their siblings.

Quietly, Dongho sighs and tries to think of a way to leave the room without being noticed because he’s sure Minhyun wouldn’t want him to listen to any of this, even if the subject at hand does involve him, and even while the secretary still wants to know what’s going on.

Unaware of Dongho’s internal battles, Sujin rolls her eyes and crosses her long legs elegantly. “Oh, please. Like I don’t know you’re just a little kid hiding in the body of an adult, doing anything in his power to please our father.”

“Noona—” Minhyun mutters and, in that moment, he’s just a little boy asking his older sister to spare him the humiliation, but Sujin doesn’t seem to notice how her words really affect her brother.

Dongho winces. Somehow, he knew the conversation was about to veer into personal matters and now he’s absolutely sure he’s intruding. There’s no opening for him to leave or to change the subject, and he watches in dismay as Minhyun’s whole posture changes to one of dejection as Sujin opens another can of worms.

“It’s okay, Hyunah, we know you just want dad’s attention, but it isn’t working, is it? I thought you’d realized that and moved on,” Sujin continues a little more softly, and not once does Dongho think she’s trying to be mean, but he still feels like he’s overstepping for being here when it’s obvious that Minhyun is uncomfortable by the direction this conversation is taking.

Minhyun is silent after that, gazing fixedly at the quickly cooling food on the table, his whole body tensing as if he’s holding himself back from exploding, clearly getting lost inside his own head and his troubled thoughts.

Dongho moves his eyes to Sujin who’s staring at her brother with a constricted expression, biting her bottom lip nervously, apparently catching up to what she unintentionally ignited.

“I should leave you two alone to talk—” Dongho starts, but Sujin doesn’t let him continue.

“Please stay. This is your home now—for how long—” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, I should be the one leaving—I just wanted to meet the man who finally managed to get my brother out of his shell.” Sujin sighs resignedly, getting up from the table, but Minhyun finally looks up at her.

“Dongho cooked too much food,” the CFO says tiredly, rubbing his eyes before flipping his soft hair back carelessly. “Don’t leave before having breakfast, mom will have my head if she finds out.”

The secretary stays put as he silently watches this comforting scene unfold, and he’s amazed by how quickly Minhyun forgave his sister, feeling his chest tighten unexpectedly with fondness towards the otherwise cold man in front of him. With his own heartache suddenly forgotten, Dongho rests one of his hands on Minhyun’s knee, making the other man look back at him with a confused expression until he notices the unguarded smile on Dongho’s lips. The CFO doesn’t hesitate when he covers Dongho’s hand with his surprisingly warm one, squeezing it slightly.

“Holy shit, Dongho, teach me your ways.” Sujin manages to make both men snap out of it after taking in their interaction with avid eyes. When she sits back down at the table, she looks at Dongho like he’s some sort of god. “He can hold grudges against me for _years_.”

The secretary snorts. “I’m far from reaching your levels of being quickly forgiven by him.”

“Will you two stop talking as if I’m not here?” Minhyun inputs in a deadpan way. He points at his sister. “You, behave.”

Sujin raises an eyebrow and all of a sudden, without a doubt, she’s Hwang Minhyun’s sister with how much she resembles his shark-like business posture. “Do you want me to tell mom that Dongho’s here?”

“I’ll give you one of my cars,” Minhyun counteracts in a businesslike manner.

“Deal.” Sujin smiles, placated, getting a plate and serving herself a bit of everything Dongho had cooked.

Meanwhile, Dongho is getting whiplash out of the Hwang siblings’ back and forth. “Do you always handle your problems by giving away your cars?”

“It usually works.” Minhyun nods, stuffing his mouth with the egg roll he tried to steal before his sister’s sudden arrival.

“It usually works,” Sujin repeats in agreement, smiling before biting on a kimchi slice.

Dongho blinks. He belatedly realizes that Sujin is, perhaps, just as bad as Minhyun. He’s not so sure anymore if it was a good thing that he met the woman after all.

* * *

At first, Dongho has no time to dwell on the bits of information he had heard thanks to Sujin’s arrival this morning, because Minhyun decides to skip work entirely when he realizes Sujin isn’t going anywhere after breakfast. For some reason, he seems too scared to leave his sister alone with Dongho of all people.

The three of them decide to watch a movie in the TV room, which is located on the floor below, close to the deck leading to the long and narrow infinity pool (that the secretary has yet to explore). Dongho ends up sprawled in the middle of all the cushions on the floor, with his back resting against the couch legs, while Sujin and Minhyun both choose to sit on the comfortable oversized couch behind Dongho, a couch that the CFO probably had handmade and customized specifically for this room.

The room is dark, and the movie they pick is a bit boring (Cars that talk and transform to save the world? He’d rather watch The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers), so Dongho rests his head against the couch next to Minhyun’s thighs, closing his eyes to finally give himself some time to think over some of the things he now knows. Minhyun doesn’t have a close relationship with his dad, but that much he had gathered way before Sujin had let that slip, what with the ‘I’m having a meeting with the CEO’ form of speech the other man insisted on using when referring to his father. Dongho just didn’t know that it was to the extent of Minhyun literally seeking the patriarch’s attention by—What? Trying to be the perfect son?

Sujin seemed fine, though. While they were finishing breakfast, Dongho finds out she has her own designer brand, which she started on her own with the help of her mother, much to his father’s disagreement. Apparently, the Hwang senior had wanted Sujin to work for the family business, just like Minhyun, but she would have none of it, so before the Hwangs fell apart, her mother managed to appease her husband enough to let Sujin do what she wanted but without giving her any kind of financial support. Eventually, Sujin didn’t end up needing it anyway, with her brand doing so well that she just had her first fashion show in New York. Sujin was still mad over the fact that Minhyun managed to skip it altogether without even a word of congratulations (“I already gave you one of my cars today, noona, I’m not giving you another one,” Minhyun had said flatly, much to his sister’s displeasure).

Dongho feels like this may have helped him understand Minhyun a little more even if he’s not that much closer to figuring Minhyun out, but the secretary guesses he needs to be more patient and let Minhyun himself offer any kind of information he is comfortable enough to share. After all, they aren’t even dating, how can he demand anything from the other man like he owes Dongho anything?

The secretary’s so deep in thought that he gets startled out of his inner debate when he feels tentative fingers discreetly start stroking his hair. The secretary opens his eyes, his stomach doing a weird somersault when he turns his head back a little to catch Minhyun already glancing down at him with a contemplative look on his face. As soon as their eyes meet, Minhyun lets his fingers finally tangle between Dongho’s hair strands, stroking tenderly, coaxing a soft groan out of the secretary who lets his eyes fall back shut as he feels the other man scratching his short nails delicately on his scalp.

He lets himself savor the goosebumps ripping all over his flesh, welcomes it even, when every other time this had happened in the past had been due to unwanted thoughts—of possible rejection or of barely contained lust. This time, Dongho openly accepts the gesture as it is: a soft caress, a stolen moment hidden in the darkened room while flashing bright lights reflect on their skins from the big TV screen.

And he’s finally happy with it.

* * *

It’s much later, way after Dongho and Sujin had ganged up on Minhyun in order to get their lunch delivered instead of eating leftovers, after Sujin’s departure with the promise of coming back often to get to know his little brother’s boyfriend better (to Dongho’s mortification and Minhyun’s sputtering), when the sky is already painted a light shade of purple as the blue engulfs the bright apricot sunset rays, that the CFO manages to convince the secretary to help him wash the dishes.

“Why?” Dongho moans pitifully. “You do have a dishwasher, you know that, right?”

“It doesn’t leave it as clean as I like,” Minhyun answers as he pushes the other man by the shoulders in the direction of the sink. So much for ‘convincing.’

“You’re a neat freak.” The secretary grumbles while letting himself get steered towards the dirty dishes.

“Stop complaining, you’re just going to dry them,” Minhyun says as he puts on his recurring yellow gloves and begins washing.

Silently, Dongho contemplates the other man with a bemused expression, a smile tugging on his lips as he shakes his head. He starts drying the cups, silverware, and plates as soon as Minhyun finishes methodically washing them by order of greasiness. _Neat freak_.

“Have you always wanted to work for your father?” Dongho asks before he chickens out, breaking the comfortable silence, and if Minhyun is startled by the sudden question, he doesn’t show it.

“Haven’t known anything else besides this my whole life.” He shrugs, answering truthfully, handing over another clean plate for Dongho to dry and store in the kitchen cabinet above the counter.

Dongho bites his bottom lip before continuing with his questions. “Wasn’t it the same with your noona? She still managed to do something else.”

Minhyun heaves a tired sigh and nods once, intent on scrubbing a plate clean with a little more force than necessary. “She’s the better Hwang.”

Chuckling at the unexpected answer and surprised that the other man didn’t lash out as he feared he would, Dongho bumps shoulders with him in a friendly manner, sparing the other man a grin. “I like you better.”

“Stop flirting with me,” the CFO deadpans, but Dongho catches how the tip of his ears burn red.

Minhyun shoves another washed dish in Dongho’s direction and the secretary gleefully dries it. If washing the dishes were always this entertaining, maybe at home he wouldn’t let it pile up for days until it became unsanitary and he was forced to do something about it.

“No fun,” Dongho replies amusedly, contradicting his own words. “Alright, do you have any hobbies, then?”

“Why are you so interested in knowing these things?” The CFO hands over the last of the dishes, cleaning his gloves before taking them off and leaving them to dry on the sink. He turns to his side to stare at the other man, resting his hip on the kitchen counter before calmly crossing his arms.

“You know a lot about me. It only seems fair.” Dongho stores the last plate after drying it and turns to face Minhyun, mirroring his stance with a raised eyebrow.

Minhyun averts his eyes as if he was caught doing something wrong. “I like to sing,” he eventually says.

Instead of demanding to know how the other man is aware of so many things about him (like how Dongho takes his coffee or how Dongho can’t handle his alcohol that well), the secretary just pushes forward with his questions. “So, have you ever wanted to be a singer?”

Snorting dismissively, Minhyun shakes his head. “We have enough artists in the family as it is.”

Dongho rolls his eyes. “You should have tried acting, then. You have a thing for dramatics.”

“You’re one to talk. _‘You seem to know a lot about me’, ‘oh, so you just want to fuck’, ‘what do you want from me?’_” Minhyun mimics Dongho, his voice high pitched in an over exaggerated impression of the other man. “Besides, you love my dramatics.” The CFO ends up smirking at him when he’s done teasing Dongho, whose face clouds over after being made fun of.

“Not when you’re being an ass!” Dongho snaps, although he feels his face heating up.

Minhyun chuckles. “When do you _not_ think I’m an asshole to you?”

“Point.” Dongho tries to fight off a grin but it’s a losing battle, so he has to settle on giving Minhyun a begrudging smile. “Though you were not being one just now.”

“Do I get points for that?” Minhyun edges away from the counter and approaches the other man, who steps back, cackling.

“Stop being such a perv all the time,” the secretary says while laughing.

Watching him laugh so freely like that, Minhyun bites the corner of his mouth to stop himself from giving in and joining him. “I was just going to kiss you.”

“With the way you kiss, it’ll lead to other things.” Still with a residual laugh on his lips, Dongho raises an eyebrow in defiance.

“Have I ever forced you into doing anything?” Minhyun mirrors Dongho’s expression, and the other man snorts derisively.

“That’s debatable.”

The CFO rolls his eyes, backing away from his secretary. “Alright, I won’t kiss you again until you give me explicit consent.”

While Minhyun has his eyes averted in his overdramatic antics, Dongho takes the opportunity to approach him and steal a fleeting kiss, catching the other man by surprise. The CFO’s eyes fly open, clearly not expecting Dongho to be the one to initiate a kiss, and he first catches himself staring at Dongho’s eyes, noticing how close he still is, and then moving his eyes to the other man’s plump, smiling lips, licking his own unconsciously.

Noting Minhyun’s dumbfounded stance, Dongho takes the opportunity to steal another kiss, this time a little more lingering as he sucks slightly on Minhyun’s bottom lip, catching it between his, and he doesn’t realize that he closes his own eyes over the taste of Minhyun’s mouth before he steps back with a quiet laugh.

“Is that enough of an explicit consent?” The secretary asks cheekily.

“And you call me an asshole,” is the CFO’s accusing retort.

Dongho’s startled giggle is muffled by Minhyun’s lips. Minhyun advances on him with purpose, cradling the secretary’s face between his hands as he pushes his tongue inside Dongho’s mouth in a tender but still intense kiss. With his smile slowly diminishing as they continue to kiss, Dongho slides his tongue wetly against Minhyun’s, slowing the kiss down to a more intimate and less rushed one, hugging Minhyun close and running his warm hands under the other man’s shirt in a caress.

Slowly, Minhyun stops pushing for more, accepting Dongho’s silent call, and he allows himself to just savor the moment and get drunk on the other man’s taste, sucking and biting on his lips to leave them red with abuse. Minhyun’s fingers slip to the back of Dongho’s head, making him tilt his head to the side by gently pulling on his hair, changing the direction of the kiss as he licks the other man’s mouth sensuously, leaving it moist with saliva.

Feeling his breath catch in his throat with each passing second because of the slow and torturous way the other man touches him, Dongho regrets his previous decision of slowing things down when his body involuntary spasms. He clutches at Minhyun more tightly, no longer smiling but letting himself get overwhelmed by the intensity of Minhyun’s kiss. Now, Dongho is the one gasping against Minhyun’s mouth, his hands grasping the other man’s shirt, trembling with want but not wanting to be the one to break his own decision.

With how desperately Dongho is holding onto him, Minhyun ends up pressing his body against the other man’s, crowding him against the sink, and Dongho can’t help the breathy moan that leaves his mouth when their hips drag unintentionally; with how close they are, he’s unable to hide the ache he’s already feeling between his legs.

Minhyun separates their lips then, deliberately with a wet, filthy sound, only to stop still close to him, breathing heavily against Dongho’s mouth as he comes back for more, over and over, licking inside Dongho’s mouth and leaving him a gasping mess every time Minhyun dives back in to leave a streak of lingering kisses on the shorter man’s plump lips.

“We should stop—” Minhyun sucks on Dongho’s bottom lip and the secretary wantonly opens his mouth for more as Minhyun approaches him again, shoving his tongue back inside in a short, fevered kiss. “I thought you didn’t want—”

“Yeah…” Dongho breathes against the other man’s lips, dazedly nodding his head in agreement while doing nothing to effectively break the kiss, his hands still clasped on Minhyun’s back.

The CFO tightens his hand in Dongho’s hair, finally making himself stop with a breathless laugh, but he doesn’t step back, his mouth still hovering over the other man’s in a silent promise for more. “You make me go crazy…” His fingers slowly release Dongho’s hair, his nails dragging against his nape instead. “You make me want to do things to you…” Minhyun’s voice softens then, and he kisses Dongho again, this time just a soft press of lips that says a million different things and makes Dongho slowly go insane.

The secretary pants, resting his forehead against Minhyun’s with his eyes closed. He holds Minhyun tight, not wanting to let go, not wanting to stop this, but he wants more—more than another fevered night intertwined with the other man’s warm body, and maybe Minhyun wants that too because he steps back slowly, making Dongho open his eyes, flustered, staring at Minhyun standing helplessly in the middle of his own kitchen, not knowing where to go from here.

Dongho smiles, biting his very sensitive lips as his pupils adjust to the low light illuminating the already dark kitchen. He looks at the beautiful man who’s slowly but surely showing some changes in his attitude, and who’s currently gazing at Dongho with undivided focus, his eyes holding so much meaning that it takes Dongho’s breath away.

They are both helpless, but it’s at least comforting to know that Dongho’s not the only bewildered, that he’s not the only one with no idea of how to go about this.

* * *

The following week goes by much like the previous one, save for more perceptible changes in both Minhyun’s and Dongho’s posture around each other.

To all the other employees, Dongho still very much hates his insufferable boss. The secretary still complains about his workload and all the overtime he has to do since his boss is always the last one to leave the office.

To his colleagues, Minhyun is still the same tyrannical workaholic he has always been: demanding, uptight, and often acts like an asshole, and that’s still mostly true even to Dongho.

The small changes come to the secretary exclusively, sometimes in the form of continuous requests to lunch dates he makes through text messages (which Dongho had been politely declining so far with sincere apologies), sometimes in the form of a warm cup of coffee left on his office desk while he’s out dealing with whatever new crazy demand made by his very own boss (like collecting impossible data with the Financial Team to complete a report by the end of the day).

Dongho takes notice of every tiny change in Minhyun’s behavior towards him, although the man is still very much aggravating most of the time, with his impassiveness and his constantly overbearing posture. And so, the secretary is not stupid enough to believe that the CFO is now a completely different person, because the perceived changes in him are still so minuscule in comparison to his usual pompous and severe personality. Still, Dongho is glad to see that he’s at least trying.

It’s still not much, but Dongho will take it for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm really sorry there was no update last week. i realized i was pushing myself too hard to keep up with the weekly updates, and also rl troubles got me demotivated af for a while there.
> 
> anyway, i hope you enjoyed this update! i write every chapter with your lovely comments in mind so i hope you know they're the reason i don't give up and keep on writing <3333


	13. Chapter 13

As for Dongho, his own changes come in the form of being more understanding. When Aron drops by Minki’s cubicle on Friday around noon to pick up both of them before they drop by the Information Security headquarters to meet up with Jonghyun for their usual lunch date, Dongho just smiles and shakes his head. 

“Sorry, no can do today.”

“What?” Minki raises an annoyed eyebrow and directs his murderous gaze towards Minhyun’s glass office, only to see their boss calmly flipping through a file, clearly having no clue that his life is at risk considering his employee’s cold stare. “Is he making you skip lunch to do something stupid for him again?”

Dongho chuckles. “Nah, I’m having lunch with him, actually,” the secretary replies while flicking Minki on the forehead, ignoring his indignant squeal as Aron snickers at his boyfriend. 

(Aron and Minki haven’t come clean about that yet, but the way they hold hands as soon as they step out of the office is clear enough evidence of their relationship, and Dongho is not about to force them out of their supposedly secret relationship since he doesn’t really have right to talk).

“Why are you ditching us for Minhyun all of a sudden?” Aron asks as he discreetly pets Minki’s abused flesh. “Aren’t you the one who’s always complaining that he’s an asshole?”

“He is,” Dongho replies immediately, throwing a guilty glance in the direction of his boss who remains ignorant to their bickering. “But I’m trying to compromise.” 

_Even if Minhyun still doesn’t know that_, the secretary thinks wildly to himself, seeing as the CFO doesn’t know that he’s making himself available to finally go have lunch with him. He hopes the other man will be pleasantly surprised and not throw him out of his office for planning their lunch without contacting him first.

Aron frowns when Dongho says he’s ‘compromising’ but he still doesn’t push the subject because he’s apparently a fan of minding his own business. “Alright. Are we still game for tonight, though?”

“You better not ditch us again for that asswipe,” Minki adds, apparently recovered from the Dongho’s forehead flick. Maybe Dongho should give him another one.

He winces instead. “I’ll… try. My current living arrangement is a bit odd.”

“Are you still living with him?!” Minki shrieks loudly, and now Dongho’s absolutely sure Minhyun is looking in their direction, his boss’ attention finally caught. Now the secretary really considers flicking his friend on the forehead again.

“_Will you keep it down?_” Dongho hisses while Aron quickly pretends to be occupied by fake reading an upside-down report he managed to snatch from Minki’s desk as soon as he realizes that Minhyun is now, in fact, staring at them from inside his office. “No one else needs to know that!”

“Just make sure you come tonight, even if you have to drag the devil along, or we won’t be able to have a team’s battle,” Minki snaps unapologetically as he ignores Minhyun’s inquisitive stare in their direction.

“If he comes, we would be odd-numbered,” Aron points out, but he doesn’t seem to mind if Minhyun really tags along.

Dongho sighs. No way in hell Minhyun will want to come. “Just—go before Minhyun suddenly looms behind me and catches us talking about him behind his back.” 

No one responds and when he looks from Minki to Aron, the older male stays silent as he looks over Dongho’s shoulders and the secretary instantly knows—“He’s right behind me, isn’t he.”

Aron blinks. “Maybe.”

The secretary quickly looks behind himself but Minhyun is still inside his office, no longer even glancing in their direction but already back to reading the report in his hand.

“Oh you—” Dongho snaps, looking back at them but Minki and Aron are already far from his desk, cackling loudly over the secretary’s obvious desperation. “Why do I have such asshole friends?” He morosely asks himself. 

* * *

An hour or so later, Dongho looks through the glass walls of Minhyun’s office to check if he’s not busy before approaching the room, knocking, and then entering.

“Excuse me, sir. I finished gathering all the reports created by your teams regarding the collected data from all our brands and their franchises in Korea, and compiled everything in a single file to send to NTS,” Dongho starts while flipping the folder in his hand until he finds the compiled report to hand it over to his boss so he can crosscheck like he usually prefers.

Minhyun waves off the file Dongho tries to leave on his desk. “No need. Just prepare a letter with the topics mentioned in the report for me to sign.”

“It’s done.” Dongho frowns at Minhyun’s reaction but he still puts the report back inside his black folder, instead handing over the letter he had already gone ahead and prepared. “You’re not going to cross check it?”

“I trust you,” is Minhyun’s distracted statement while his eyes quickly scan the letter Dongho just handed him before signing it with a flourish. “Here. Just send these over to NTS as soon as possible.”

“Of course, sir,” the secretary replies, nonplussed, taking the signed letter to store it back inside his folder along with the rest of his paperwork. He can’t believe that Minhyun really won’t look over such an important report they have to send annually to the National Tax Services of South Korea in relation to all of their business transactions. “I also booked your out and back flights for your meeting in Busan next week. Should I accompany you—”

“As much as I like your company, it’s just a short visit, I’ll be back in a few hours and you’d just be bored.” Minhyun rests back in his chair, finally regarding Dongho calmly.

“I’m never bored with you.” Dongho snorts and bites his bottom lip when he realizes he let his informality slip.

The corner of Minhyun’s mouth turns up. “Good to know.”

Dongho raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t mean that it’s always in a good way.”

That rips a surprised yet silent laugh from the CFO. “For what is worth, I’m never bored with you either.”

“Stop flirting with me during office hours.” Dongho’s face closes off in a lousy imitation of Minhyun’s usually stern stance.

Minhyun doesn’t really smile but his eyes crinkle a little. “You should go have lunch, Kang.” Minhyun composes himself quickly and raises an eyebrow as a joke.

“Are you finished then?” The secretary claps his hands together behind himself while still holding his folder. 

“Hm?” The CFO frowns confusedly while looking back at his computer screen, ready to go back to work.

“I was just waiting for you, actually.” Dongho really tries to keep a straight face but Minhyun looks so clueless that it’s actually a little endearing how he’s already accustomed to Dongho leaving to have lunch with his coworkers. 

“You don’t have to. You can go eat; you’re probably starving.” Minhyun dismisses Dongho as he starts typing a reply to what is probably a very important email if he’s already that distracted. He probably misinterpreted the other man’s previous reply as Dongho’s acknowledgement that he has to wait for Minhyun to allow him to go, which is so laughable at this point in their so-called relationship that he silently congratulates himself for not laughing out loud, because no way in hell will he starve for such a ridiculous purpose now. 

“Don’t you want to go have lunch with me, though?” Dongho finally cracks a smile, unable to hold it back much longer, eager to see Minhyun’s reaction. “Just me,” he completes, raising a warning eyebrow before Minhyun starts bitching that he won’t go eat with his other employees. 

That finally catches Minhyun’s attention and the CFO raises his curious eyes from his monitor screen to look at Dongho who’s standing in the middle of his office seemingly composed, trying to hold back an even bigger smile and, fuck it, it’s basically lunch time already so he can be a little more informal than usual.

“Who’s flirting at work now?” Minhyun’s eyes turn to slits, making Dongho crack up at his retort.

“It’s just the two of us so I’m gonna be as informal as you seem to like.” The secretary starts with a disclaimer as the smile on his lips grows a little. “Minhyun, let’s go eat so I can freely flirt with you then?”

The CFO’s eyes soften a little, and Dongho congratulates himself yet again for ripping such a look from the cold man (whom, apparently, isn’t as cold as previously disclosed). It seems like the secretary already knows the way to his heart and that he won’t refrain himself from using such tactics to get closer to Minhyun without hurting himself too much in the process; as long as he keeps his expectations low, he is (probably) safe.

“Alright, Dongho. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Feeling victorious, Dongho doesn’t hold back a genuine and carefree smile, his closed eyes crinkling into half-moons as his grin takes over his whole expression, and if he knew how warm such a look makes Minhyun feel, how the other man’s heart beats uncoordinatedly in his chest when he thinks he could maybe, possibly, make Dongho happy, the secretary would never question Minhyun’s affection towards him.

* * *

“I’m gonna be smelling like samgyeopsal for the rest of the day,” Minhyun bitches while taking off his suit jacket, folding it perfectly to place it on the vacant plastic stool right beside him.

“It’s my treat. I’m sorry I’m not loaded like you,” Dongho replies, unbothered by the other man’s stuck-up reaction because he was already waiting for it from the moment he had the brilliant idea to bring Minhyun to his favorite street food tent. Even Park, the so-called stony bodyguard, had seem amused through the inside rearview mirror when Dongho had given him the address after they left the office. “Besides, the food is brilliant.”

“I already told you I can give you everything you want; you don’t need to keep coming here.” Minhyun frowns as Dongho ignores him and instead greets the very old lady who comes to take their orders.

As soon as the lady leaves with a warm pat on Dongho’s head, like she knows him from his many visits to the place, the secretary drops his polite smile to stare daggers at Minhyun. “Stop complaining. If you hurt ahjumma’s feelings I’m gonna hurt you.”

Minhyun snorts. “You’re too attached to people.”

“And you are too detached.” Dongho counters back with a heavy sigh. “Don’t make me regret inviting you for lunch.”

“I just said I’m going to be smelling of fried food for the rest of the day--”

“No, you were being an asshole.” Dongho interrupts him with an annoyed stare. 

The secretary averts his eyes and rubs his face tiredly. Minhyun didn’t even say anything bad, at least not as bad as Dongho took it, and here he is expecting the other man to act like he’s used to this, to being in a way more modest setting, to not have his usual reaction when things don’t go his way. 

He suddenly recalls what Minhyun said to him about being patient if he really wants this, and maybe this is okay, maybe Dongho is pushing him too hard, expecting him to change too soon. Of course he’s going to call the other man out when he’s being an asshole, at least when it’s just the two of them, but he needs to be more understanding and wait a little more patiently, because it’s not like he isn’t witnessing Minhyun’s tentative changes in his attitude and personality.

“I’m sorry—”

“I apologize—”

They both start at the same time, taking Dongho by surprise and making him raise his head to glance at Minhyun, who’s already looking back at him, a little chastened after the other man’s reprimand. 

Their brief silent staring contest gets interrupted by the ahjumma who returns to place all the side dishes around their tiny table, going back and forth towards the kitchen while making sure that they can always ask for more rice if they think it’s not enough, leaving everything ready for Minhyun and Dongho to start grilling the pork belly.

Dongho thanks the old lady and takes charge of the grilling, making sure to check if the smoke isn’t floating in his boss’ direction; the last thing he needs right now is for Minhyun to start bitching again after they both apologized.

“I mean it.” Minhyun starts over, and once again he catches Dongho by surprise. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Dongho mutters, his attention on the grilling meat instead of attempting to move his eyes towards the other man. “Me too. I mean—I’m sorry. I know you’re trying, and I should try harder. Besides, we should leave the fighting for when you do something way more stupid.” He risks a smile, raising his eyes to check Minhyun’s reaction.

The CFO rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide the way the corner of his mouth turns up a little at Dongho’s jab. “Why do I feel like you tease me just to get some kind of reaction?”

Dongho only smirks, and instead of replying, he gets his chopsticks to start eating while they wait for the meat to grill. “Let’s go noraebang tonight?” The secretary asks matter-of-factly, watching the other man from the corner of his eye.

“You’re joking, right?” Minhyun gives him a short, silent laugh and starts eating as well.

“No, I’m not. I’m going out with Aron, Minki and Jonghyun tonight and it’d be nice if you came.” He continues after checking the grill and preparing a lettuce wrap for Minhyun as a peace offering, already waiting for the other man to decline his invitation.

“You can’t go.”

That’s certainly wasn’t what Dongho was expecting, though.

“... What?” He takes the lettuce wrap back just as Minhyun was reaching for it. “What do you mean I _can’t_ go?” Dongho frowns, annoyed.

“What if something happens to you? Did you forget about Akimoto?” Impassively, Minhyun motions for Dongho to give him the food he was previously offering.

Dongho pointedly shoves the wrap in his own mouth as he stares at Minhyun with his eyebrows raised. “I thought you were taking care of it.” He speaks with his mouth full just to annoy the other man.

As expected, Minhyun pulls a face. “I am, but you still can’t go out alone for now.”

The secretary swallows the food and now he can’t really hide how annoyed he is by all of this. “I’m going anyway.” Vexed, he prepares another food wrap and shoves it in his boss’ direction.

“Who’s acting like a child now?” Minhyun raises an eyebrow and quickly takes the wrapped meat before Dongho withdraws again.

“It’s been two weeks, what are you talking about?” He almost manages to take the food back but Minhyun quickly eats it, making Dongho slit his eyes. “And don’t compare me to you, you jumped me in your kitchen just because I joked you were a virgin.”

The CFO looks around urgently as if to check someone was listening. “Will you stop saying that?” He tries to kick Dongho under the table but ends up hitting the table leg, making the already unstable surface shake and all the dishes rattle loudly, catching all the other patrons’ attention.

Dongho tries, he really does try, but an uncontrollable laugh bubbles out of his chest and he caves in, giggling loudly with his eyes crinkling and making Minhyun’s ears burn hot with embarrassment. The other man would’ve found the way Dongho is laughing at his own misery endearing, but he’s too dignified for that. 

“I don’t know what I see in you,” Minhyun snaps quietly, but there’s no heat to his words 

“Neither do I, but here we are,” the secretary replies while his laughter subsides. “Are you coming with me tonight or not?”

Sighing dramatically, the CFO rolls his eyes towards the tent ceiling as if asking for patience. “I don’t have time for that, but you can go.” At that, Dongho opens his mouth to complain that Minhyun is definitely _not_ making any decisions for him, thank you very much, but the other man raises a hand to stop him. “And only if Park drives you there and then takes you back home after.”

“Home…” The secretary shakes his head exasperatedly but something in his chest blooms warmly over Minhyun’s choice of words. “Just so you know, I was going either way, but I can _compromise_ and let your driver slash bodyguard take me there.”

“Oh, I’m so thankful.” Minhyun deadpans.

Dongho flicks a rice grain in his boss’s direction, making him swear under his breath.

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want to come in? You can sing with us.”

Dongho ends up making Park drive all four of them to the usual noraebang he and Minki have been going to since their college days. They were all at the office, and it would have made no sense for Minhyun’s bodyguard to only take him there while the other three rode in different cars (Jonghyun and Aron each with their own drivers and Minki tagging along with his boyfriend), because that wouldn’t have been inconspicuous _at all_, so it ended up being fairly easy to convince everyone involved, much to Minhyun’s displeasure.

The workaholic he calls a boss had stayed behind at the office to finish more paperwork, and Park was supposed to go back to drive him home then come back here to babysit Dongho and, consequently, the other three businessmen.

And after the very awkward drive to the noraebang tonight, Dongho had felt compelled to invite Park over just to be polite. He looked young—younger than Dongho, and if he’s been Minhyun’s bodyguard for as long as Dongho imagines, his life must be _very_ unentertaining.

“Thank you for the invitation, but I have to go back.” Park doesn’t sound apologetic at all.

“I see how you work so well with Minhyun.” Dongho snorts. “Well, see you later, then.”

They choose one of the largest rooms for their session and Jonghyun quickly pays for 3 hours before anyone can beat him to it, much to Aron’s objection, but the older man is easily distracted by Minki who goes straight for the song book, making him go after his boyfriend so they can pick a song to sing together.

Dongho doesn’t waste any time before removing his shoes, followed by his suit jacket and tie so he can climb the stairs to get comfortable against the cushions on the little deck above.

“Hiding?” Jonghyun joins him, passing him a beer can they each open one before drinking. “Heard you were bringing your boyfriend today?”

The secretary was already taking a sip of his beer when he almost spits the bitter liquid on Jonghyun’s face. “_Boyfriend_?!” He sputters loudly, regretting it a second too late, and he’s thankful the other two are busy loudly bickering to hear them. “What are you on about? Where did you hear that?”

“I have an insider,” the Information Security Director jokes, making Dongho bump shoulders with him, feigning annoyance. “Alright, I’m joking, don’t hit me.” He laughs, backing away from the other man. “All I know is that Minhyun was _very_ annoyed by my presence in his house that one time and that he’s been treating everyone in the office way better since then.”

Dongho hums and chances a look in Jonghyun’s direction from the corner of his eye. When he stops to think about it, he can clearly see why he likes Jonghyun so much; he’s a nice guy who’s very approachable if you consider his current position as a Director in an important conglomerate like Hwang Corps. He’s genuinely a good person to be around, with everything considered, but aside from that, Dongho realizes he barely knows anything about him. 

In reality, Jonghyun probably knows way more about him than the other way around. He knows his family and where they live, he sort of knows about what’s going on between Minhyun and him (when even Minki, one of his closest friends, still doesn’t know anything about it), so it makes Dongho wonder why Jonghyun suddenly wants to know that too. 

Dongho may be slow sometimes, but he’s not stupid.

“I never got to ask you what Minhyun said to you that day after I left.”

“He told me to back off.” Jonghyun snorts, turning his head to regard his other two friends who managed to finally pick a song. He doesn’t seem like he’s hiding anything, so it instantly makes Dongho unwind. “I just miss him as a friend, but he shut me out and you’re the only person he’s allowing to get so close.”

The secretary doesn’t really know what to say to the other man, so he quietly nods and takes a long swig from his beer can. 

“Stupid question but have you tried talking to him?”

“Of course.” Jonghyun doesn’t sound dismissive when he replies. He actually sounds more interested. “I don’t know why he doesn’t want me around—or anyone else for that matter. Aside from you, that is.”

“I wish I knew how to answer that.” Dongho shakes his head. Suddenly, the condensation on his beer can becomes very interesting. He rubs his thumb on the cold surface to collect a few water drops as he mulls over Jonghyun’s revelation. “He doesn’t tell me anything either.”

“So, are you two together?” The director asks while finishing his beer and Dongho does the same.

The secretary gets up without looking at Jonghyun and goes straight for the stairs to get more beers for the two of them while listening to Minki belt out his usual Lady Gaga song. “Why are you so interested about that?” He doesn’t sound annoyed but rather curious.

Before Dongho can climb down, Jonghyun stops him with a soft murmur that can barely be heard over Minki’s singing. “I just want him to be happy.”

* * *

Dongho drinks everything he can and cannot drink for the next three hours. He does everything he had been too busy to do for the past year what with all of his financial responsibilities and family obligations. He’s too young not to make a fool out of himself sometimes, so he drinks every beer can Jonghyun or Aron hand him throughout the night and still manages to hit all the high notes even while shitfaced. He makes a show of it, and he even bows down when his three new fans clap wildly after his last emotional performance. 

And that’s when he falls face-first directly onto a cushion. Minki has to be held by Aron so he won’t pass out from lack of breathing because he’s laughing so hard, and Jonghyun is quietly chuckling while helping Dongho sit up straight.

“I guess it’s time to leave. Dongho is about to permanently damage his liver.” Jonghyun, apparently the only sober one, is the voice of reason. 

Dongho is unceremoniously thrown in the backseat of Minhyun’s car and the secretary doesn’t even hear Jonghyun thanking Park for waiting so long for them outside the noraebang. The secretary tries to straighten himself in his seat, but his head keeps falling backwards against the backrest, and he can only giggle when his body starts to fall sideways, but Jonghyun is quick to catch him and wastes no time in buckling the other man’s seatbelt on.

“I know you’re drunk out of your mind but remember to ask Minhyun for an aspirin. I’m sure he’s awake back at home waiting for you.” Jonghyun _tsks_ and ruffles Dongho’s hair a little before backing out of the car.

The secretary huffs scornfully. “Thanks, Jonghyun-ah, I can only trust you-- and Park-ssi. I can only trust Park-ssi and you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, but you shouldn’t trust people so much.” The director jokes and closes the door, quickly going back towards Aron and Minki waiting for him on the curb in front of the noraebang. 

Wobbling in place, Minki waves his goodbye to Dongho and the secretary dumbly waves back, but he soon hears his friend screech loudly even through the closed car window.

“Don’t fuck him, Dongho! Be strong! Fighting!”

“Too late, Minki-ah!” Dongho cries back, heartfelt and apologetically, from inside the closed moving car, making Park wince and Aron literally fall to his knees while clutching his stomach, with Jonghyun amusedly shaking his head as Minki stares on flabbergasted as the car quickly gains some distance. 

Dongho only hopes Aron is okay. He shrugs.

“Park-ssi, what’s your name?”

“Park.” Is the monosyllabic response.

“I know that, silly.” The secretary waves him off distractedly. “I’m asking for your first name. You look younger than me, let’s be comfortable.”

“I guess you can call me... Park.” The bodyguard deadpans.

“I see, so you want to be difficult. Then I’m going to call you—”

“Woojin.” Woojin replies in resignation.

Dongho smiles. “Woojin-ah. Let’s be friends.”

* * *

Dongho is being dragged up Minhyun front stairs when the CFO opens his door with a very impressively stern expression on his face. He’s wearing only a pair of thin shorts and shirt, looking comfortable and warm and a bit huffed, but otherwise composed and, honestly, like the best kind of dream. 

The secretary sighs dreamily. He wishes he could kiss that beautiful grumpy man. 

“I’ll take him from here, Park,” Minhyun starts coldly. 

“Woojin-ah, thanks so very much for the ride, you’re the most amazing conver—conversa—tionalist.” Dongho slurs and smiles at the younger man who looks back at him unamused.

“Kim Jonghyun-ssi asked me to remind you to give him aspirin,” Woojin replies monotonously while simultaneously looking like he swallowed a lemon. 

“I know how to take care of him.” Minhyun snaps and the bodyguard mutely shrugs Dongho off of him, handing him over to Minhyun who gruffly takes the drunk man’s arm over his shoulders to support him while his own arm hugs Dongho’s waist sideways against his body.

“Am I dismissed?” Woojin asks, already back to business. 

Not waiting for his bodyguard to leave, Minhyun nods once and goes back inside, carrying the secretary with little to no struggle, as the other man can still walk and is just a little wobbly.

“You smell nice,” Dongho mumbles as he shoves his face against the crook of Minhyun’s neck while the man is just simply, although very grumpily, trying to drag him up the stairs towards the shorter man’s bedroom. “You always smell so nice.” The secretary complains with a heavy sigh.

Blushing furiously, Minhyun is just thankful Dongho is drunk enough not to notice how that comment left him flustered. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he mutters.

“No…” the secretary drags the vowel, shaking his hair, making everything more difficult for Minhyun who has to stop in the middle of the stairs so he doesn’t simply moan when Dongho’s lips rub against his jaw and his warm breath tickles his neck. “It’s not a compliment. I hate it.”

The CFO ends up chuckling softly with his face still blushing slightly. “You’re going to love this tomorrow morning.”

Dongho grumbles something unintelligible and Minhyun takes that opportunity to hop the other man up against his body and pretty much carry him the rest of the steps up. 

They walk in semi-comfortable silence, what with the secretary still smelling Minhyun—and deep down Minhyun can admit this is making him little uncomfortable between his legs. Dongho is too close, too malleable, too welcoming, and his warm breath is making the hair on the CFO’s nape raise up in goosebumps. 

“What are you doing?” The secretary asks suddenly, raising his head to direct his slit eyes towards Minhyun’s hand on Dongho’s bedroom doorknob. 

“Taking you to your room, Dongho,” Minhyun replies patiently.

“That’s not my room,” Dongho answers solemnly. “Today is Friday. We fuck on Fridays—on Fridays my room is over there.” He points toward Minhyun’s closed bedroom door down the hallway. 

Minhyun blinks a few times and his hands numbly drop from the doorknob. If Dongho wasn’t so drunk, he would’ve noticed how Minhyun stares at him, a little lost but still full of wonder and endearment. 

“You’re so stupid,” the taller man mumbles and his free hand touches Dongho’s face in a soft caress. Dongho instantly closes his eyes and practically purrs, inhibitions long gone almost as soon as the alcohol came in many hours earlier. “Don’t do this to me—”

“Take me to our room, Minhyun-ah.” The secretary doesn’t let the other man finish and breathes out as he opens his lust filled and dazed eyes to gaze at Minhyun. 

“You need a shower.” Minhyun stares quickly, shaking his head, and Dongho doesn’t know how he’s making Minhyun feel so much—too much right now. “A cold shower.” He nods his head and as he tries to open Dongho’s bedroom door, the other man grabs his hand.

“Please.”

Minhyun’s hand tightens on the doorknob and resolutely shakes his head. “You’re drunk.”

Dongho snorts and drops his head back on Minhyun’s shoulder heavily. “Like you care.”

The CFO’s expression contorts painfully, and he rips Dongho’s bedroom door wide open, now literally dragging the other man inside as he grumbles miserably that all that moving is making his head hurt.

Minhyun doesn’t say anything else and practically shoves the secretary inside the shower stall still fully dressed, opening the faucet so that the cold water drops unceremoniously over the very drunk and very stupid man.

“Fuck—Minhyun, what the fuck!” Dongho’s eyes shoot wide open as he tries to scramble drunkenly out of the stall and away from the cold shower, but Minhyun simply pushes him back inside. “It’s fucking cold—”

“I know,” the CFO replies coldly, as cold as the water hitting Dongho straight on the head, making his hair flop sadly against his wet forehead.

Before Minhyun knows it, Dongho drags him inside the stall and under the same cold water that is currently making the secretary’s balls curl back inside his body. In his current wobbly state, Dongho stumbles and hits the wall hard with Minhyun’s body crashing into his.

“See how it feels now.” Dongho pants, the water entering his mouth as he speaks, and at the same time there’s Minhyun undignified squeal as the man feels the icy water envelop his body as well.

“You’re such an asshole,” Minhyun growls in Dongho’s face and pushes himself away from him. Even while drunk, the irony of the other man’s words isn’t lost on him and so he giggles wildly, rubbing a hand on his face to get his hair out of his eyes.

“Shut up.” Already feeling his head start to hurt, Dongho lets his body rest against the cold bathroom tile but Minhyun pulls him back under the spray. “Why are you being like this?!” The secretary whines dramatically, swaying slightly in place.

“To see if you stop saying stupid things.” The CFO snaps, annoyed beyond belief to have been pulled under the cold shower when he was ready to go to bed. He wasn’t the one out drinking himself stupid in the freezing cold Seoul night.

“You’re always saying stupid things but I’m not dumping you into cold water, am I?

Aggravated, Minhyun doesn’t respond and just steps out of the shower, grabbing a clean towel to start drying himself off. When he’s mostly satisfied with it even in his wet clothes, he looks back at Dongho who stayed inside the shower stall and is currently in the process of removing his underwear that isn’t really hiding anything to begin with. 

“What are you doing?” He’s not above squealing in alarm at this point. 

“Taking a shower? You already got me all wet,” Dongho babbles while almost falling as he crouches down to remove the last wet garment, the rest of his clothes a dripping pile right outside the shower stall making a pool of water on the floor. 

Sighing, Dongho lets himself sit on the floor, not really feeling the water hit him as cold as before, already used to the temperature. His read is spinning a little, but he doesn’t feel as drunk anymore, just slightly dizzy, like his limbs don’t really follow his brain’s orders. He closes his eyes and lets his forehead rest against his raised knees, the spray hitting him on the back of the head; he’s going to be so hangover tomorrow.

A shadow casts over Dongho unexpectedly, and the man dazedly raises his head to peer at Minhyun’s tall imposing figure sighing down at Dongho’s lumped form, getting himself all wet again to help the drunken idiot. 

“You can take a shower tomorrow, come on.” Minhyun doesn’t waste any time in helping Dongho up the floor and out of the stall after turning the shower off. 

The CFO dumps a fluffy towel over Dongho’s head, pointedly not looking at the other man’s naked bits, and while drying Dongho off, he still has to make sure the other man won’t fall. It would be cute to witness the secretary being so soft and rumpled with his wet hair if it wasn’t so irritating at the same time.

Patiently, Minhyun helps Dongho into a pair of comfortable pants and lies him down on his side on the bed before going back inside the en-suite bathroom to dry himself off and put on a bathrobe in place of his wet clothes. 

The CFO quickly steps out of Dongho’s bedroom, only to come back with a glass of water and three aspirin tablets in a packet cut in half. He also took the opportunity to get himself dressed again in his room, so he quietly tiptoes towards Dongho’s sleeping form to leave the water and aspirin on the bedside table without waking the other man up.

“Are you going to leave now?” The secretary’s croak sounds loud in the otherwise quiet room, and he’s obviously not asleep yet but he’s halfway there. 

No matter what anyone else says, the CFO did not get scared after hearing Dongho speaking apparently out of nowhere. 

Ignoring his wildly beating heart, dumbly Minhyun murmurs back. “Oh, you’re awake.”

“You’re so smart, yet…” He turns a little to stare up at Minhyun from his lying position. “Were you trying to sneak out?”

“That’s a habit of yours, not mine,” the CFO snaps back.

“Should I throw you under the ice-cold water now for saying something stupid?” Dongho doesn’t sound as drunk as before but he’s still dragging the words even in the midst of his annoyance.

Minhyun snorts and sits on the edge of the bed facing the other man. “Did you have fun with your friends tonight?”

Dongho almost loses it at how the other man sounds so derisive when saying the word ‘friends’. “Yeah, Jonghyun sat on a microphone and we kept hearing his butt crack.” He responds idly, but after a second of silence, he finally loses it. “His _buttcrack_!”

“So, are you intimate with his buttcrack now?” He shoots back, clearly holding back a laugh. He can’t believe he’s having this conversation. 

The secretary stops laughing almost immediately. “Are you?” He raises both eyebrows. 

“You’re a silly drunk. Remind me to never take you on a meeting with investors over dinner and drinks.” Minhyun tries to divert Dongho’s attention from himself. “You seem to really enjoy Jonghyun’s company, though.”

“Why do you always ask things like that about him?” If his brain to mouth filter is already bad on a daily basis, it’s nonexistent now that he’s only just starting to recover from being shit faced.

“Jonghyun is too easy to fall for... I don’t stand a chance against him.”

And that’s probably the best sober-up pill Dongho could ever hope for. He can’t hide the way his chest suddenly starts heaving with each difficult breath he takes, and his eyes apparently can’t move away from Minhyun’s intense ones. He feels trapped in Minhyun’s confusing maze, and it’s not fair, because although he feels way less drunk all of a sudden with basically a bucket of cold water (yet again) being thrown on his face (figuratively speaking this time), he’s still not sober enough to have this conversation. 

Suddenly, something snaps in his head, clear as day, even in the midst of his currently blurry mind.

“Did you love him?” Dongho is proud of the fact that his voice doesn’t crack when he asks that, but he immediately wants to take it back because he’s not sure he wants to have that question answered. 

“Love is for children.” Minhyun smiles tiredly and doesn’t sound surprised by Dongho’s inquiry. He doesn’t hesitate before continuing, “So of course I thought I could love him when we were younger. That’s why we couldn’t be friends anymore.”

“He would’ve loved you back,” he replies numbly, his mind running miles per hour, feeling his chest pang painfully with the realization that he’s maybe getting himself in the middle of Minhyun’s unresolved relationship with Jonghyun and that he’ll for sure get hurt if Minhyun really has that kind of mindset about how to handle his feelings.

“I know,” is Minhyun’s direct reply, which doesn’t help ease Dongho’s mind.

So the secretary asks in the same straightforward way: “Is that what’s going to happen to us?”

The CFO doesn’t respond right away and Dongho feels so absurdly shaken, like he’s slipping on cracked ice all of a sudden. He doesn’t want this; he refuses to feel like this. He objects to this ache, to this feeling of helplessness he inflicted on himself when he decided to cave in and get himself involved with such an emotionally constipated man. Dongho closes his eyes to fight back the sudden wave of nausea overtaking him, and he blames it on the amount of alcohol he forced on his body tonight rather than blaming it on such a horrible realization about his own feelings.

“I don’t want to let you go,” Minhyun finally murmurs, and he doesn’t sound as cold and as detached as Dongho was certain he would sound. Instead, Minhyun sounds like the idea of letting the other man go is painful, and he frowns as he says that, so Dongho tentatively opens his unfocused eyes to helplessly peer at the man who still doesn’t know what he wants even when there’s so much meaning in his eyes. 

Dongho licks his dry lips, feeling bone tired all of a sudden, and he welcomes it, even while covering Minhyun’s hand with his like the fool that he is, because everything he wants right now is for Minhyun to really mean it. 

So he does what any fool would do in a situation like this. 

He bares himself.

“Then don’t let me go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, guys! i'm sorry for stretching out the updates... things have not been easy on me lately and i think it's best if i don't stress myself out doing something that was actually meant to de-stress me :( 
> 
> but as always, thank you so much for leaving such lovely comments and for still enjoying and reading this story even after 65k words of bullshit lol you are the real mvps and you guys own my heart. when i read your comments, i'm always left smiling like a fool. thank you for being so sweet and for supporting this story until now. i hope you liked this chapter! <3


	14. Chapter 14

Dongho wakes up the next day wishing he was dead instead.

The room is thankfully dark, but he still feels his head pounding with each blood pulse wave rushing through his body and he moans painfully, questioning all the choices he has made in his life that got him to the pitiful point he finds himself in right now.

Somehow, he remembers that Minhyun left a glass of water and a packet of aspirin by his bedside table, and he gathers all the strength left in his body to make himself sit up and open one blurry eye to snatch the medicine that he considers to be his only salvation. He takes two pills, drinks the water like a man left to die on the desert, and lies down once again.

He’s otherwise dead to the world while waiting for the drug to kick in, and Dongho considers that it’s probably still pretty early since his bedroom is still so dark, because even with the curtains closed, he’s able to see some of the light outside. Which is fine, this way he has more time to recover before he has to face Minhyun—

_Minhyun._

With his painful headache instantly forgotten, Dongho sits up with a jolt, his back going ramrod straight in a second. He remembers everything. _Everything_.

From the drive back from the noraebang pestering Woojin—_Park_, he mentally corrects while internally wincing—to the way he threw himself at Minhyun the whole night; how he made a mess out of himself in the shower, and their meaningful conversation before Dongho managed to finally sleep his drunkenness off.

He can’t believe he had that kind of conversation with Minhyun while drunk, but he’s thankful (is he?) that he remembers everything. He remembers how Minhyun stayed quiet after Dongho told him not to let him go but that he still softly kissed Dongho nonetheless, and how he insisted on not sleeping on the same bed as the secretary for his own sanity’s sake.

Dongho hesitantly moves his eyes towards the floor to find none other than Minhyun, still asleep and currently curled on his side over a fluffy blanket, his body covered by a warm looking comforter and his head supported by one of Dongho’s pillows. The man probably raided his own room to bring over a camping set to sleep on the secretary’s bedroom floor.

Dongho is touched, but he also thinks Minhyun is an idiot.

He lets himself stare at Minhyun’s sleeping form in silence, taking the opportunity to observe his unguarded features in such a rare occasion. Dongho never got to really see Minhyun like this before (he never wakes up first when they end up sharing the same room), because even when Minhyun lets most of his guards down around the secretary, he never looks this peaceful and untroubled. It makes Dongho think about what kind of thoughts are constantly crossing through the CFO’s mind.

With Minhyun’s bangs softly falling over his forehead until the tips reach his eyes, with his cheek squished on the pillow making his mouth hang a little ajar as he quietly snores, Minhyun looks as approachable as the boy next door and, before he knows it, Dongho is swallowing hard, diverting his attention somewhere else when he feels his chest pang painfully. On unstable legs, Dongho tries his best to leave the room and head downstairs as fast as he can and as far as possible from the soft-looking man lying on his bedroom floor.

He reaches the kitchen and finally lets his body sag on one of the stools around the cooking island, and he covers his face with his hands as he tries to control his breathing. This is not happening as long as he can control this. He won’t let himself feel like this. Not yet.

So to prove (to himself) that he has full control over his own emotions, he decides to prepare a mean breakfast for the sleeping man upstairs (sending Miyoung his eternal appreciation for all the leftovers she always stacks in the fridge), because he can do this.

Dongho can face Minhyun one more time, and for many more times, without falling in love.

After raiding Miyoung’s kitchen looking for a breakfast tray, he arranges everything he prepared on it before bringing it upstairs to wake the other man up. But when he enters his bedroom, Dongho finds Minhyun slowly sitting up, looking rumpled and bleary-eyed, his hair sticking to the side of his head where it was pressed against the pillow, while on the other side it’s a wild mess. Minhyun’s cheeks look rosy like steamed buns, marked with small pillow creases, and he looks around a little lost, trying to regain his bearings.

Minhyun looks so homey and warm and _inviting_ that Dongho steps back on reflex, away from this obvious trap—and Dongho was wrong, he was so wrong, he can’t do this—but even the slightest movement manages to catch Minhyun’s attention and he turns his dazed, still sleepy eyes towards Dongho who was standing by the open door.

“Is that breakfast?” He croaks, his voice still rough with sleep.

Sighing, Dongho acknowledges it’s time to face his demise.

“Only if you’re not going to work after this,” Dongho mutters while finally stepping inside the room and walking towards Minhyun sitting on the comfortable cocoon he created on the floor.

“Is that a bribe, then?” Minhyun smiles sleepily, and it almost looks like he’s unaware of what he’s doing while he’s still under the spell of sleep.

Dongho jumps the opportunity and smiles back, even if he feels his heart constricting, seemingly against this decision. “Is it working?” He asks anyway, much to his heart’s despair.

“Yes,” Minhyun murmurs with a sigh, the small smile still apparent on his lips. “Yes, it is, Dongho.”

And it certainly sounds like he’s answering all of Dongho’s other unspoken questions.

* * *

A few days later, after Minhyun had come back from his quick trip to Busan the day before, Dongho is at one of the Financial headquarters’ conference rooms, accompanying the CFO in an important monthly schedule meeting with all of the representatives of the Hwang Corps’ clothing branches in Korea. He was in charge of taking note of all the important details being discussed, occasionally pointing a few inaccuracies in some of the representatives' reports that need changing, when his phone starts buzzing silently from within his suit jacket’s inside pocket.

The secretary quickly takes a look at the caller ID and his stomach drops when he sees his mom’s name flashing on the screen. He looks helplessly at Minhyun, who’s busy engaged in a rapid-fire discussion with a very mean-looking businesswoman who would make Akimoto himself cry with her deadly stare alone, but Minhyun remains unperturbed, shooting back eloquent replies to this particular branch representative’s dilemmas while the rest of the room remains quiet.

Eventually, the call ends, unanswered and Dongho immediately feels bad for not picking up his mom’s call, so he discreetly types a quick reply on his phone, worried that she could’ve fallen ill again.

Omma, are you okay?  
I’m so sorry, I’m in the middle of a meeting  
I can go out to call you, though  
**Kang Dongho [03:44 PM]**

Oh no, don’t worry about me!!!!!  
I’m fine!  
**Omma [03:45 PM]**

Just call me when you’re free  
I miss you  
**Omma [03:46 PM]**

I miss you too, omma  
**Kang Dongho [03:46 PM]**

When Dongho finally looks up, way more relaxed now that he knows that his mom is okay, he raises his head to find everyone in the room already looking back at him, including his boss who currently sports a raised eyebrow, seemingly waiting for an answer to a question Dongho clearly didn’t hear.

Swallowing discreetly, the secretary puts on his best poker face and smiles politely at Minhyun. “Just finished rescheduling your next meeting so it doesn’t overlap. Did you need me?”

The corner of Minhyun’s mouth turn up minutely, and it’s obvious that he knows Dongho is pulling some shit right now, but instead of calling him out, he simply turns forward and replies to his own previous question regarding the next scheduled monthly meeting with the representatives to discuss the all progress made, which allowed Dongho to save face.

They wrap up after a few more minutes of discussion and small talk, with the secretary having to stick around to take note of all the things Minhyun needs him to do regarding everything that had just been discussed. As soon as he’s able to escape, though, he rushes towards the men’s bathroom and locks himself inside one of the toilet stalls before finally calling his mom back.

“Dongho-ya?” His mom’s voice comes through the phone’s speakers, making Dongho instantly smile. He really misses his mom.

“It’s me, omma. How are you?” He asks softly, sitting on the closed toilet seat.

“I’m fine, baby. I’m doing much better thanks to the special treatment I received at the hospital last time. Junho told me you took care of the expenses… You really didn’t need to do that.” His mother admonishes him, making Dongho wince for more reasons than one. She still has no idea he didn’t have anything to do with it and that it was all Minhyun’s doing.

“Yeah, I—Just wanted to help.” He feels like shit for lying to his mom but how can he explain his boss, soon to be his—what, complicated relationship?—decided to pay for all the hospital expenses without contacting Dongho first. That would go rather smoothly.

“You do more than you should. You already help so much, baby.” She sighs and he can hear how tired she is even over the phone. “Are you coming home next week? I miss you.”

Dongho frowns, not recalling making any appointments to fly back to Jeju anytime. “Uh. Did I say that I was—”

“Kang Dongho.” His mother cuts him off and Dongho already knows he’s going to get an earful and he winces automatically without even knowing what’s coming. “I can’t believe you forgot about Christmas.”

Holy shit.

He quickly searches his brain for today’s date and almost falls out of the toilet seat when he realizes Christmas is in a week.

“I’m so sorry, omma!” If his mother were here, he’d probably be on his knees rubbing his palms in front of her, begging for forgiveness. “Life’s been… hectic, to say the least.” He sighs because he knows that’s not enough excuse to forget about one of the few times he actually goes home to see his family. “I’m going to have to talk to my boss and see if he lets me have a few days off on such a short notice—”

“It’s Christmas. I’m sure he won’t be working next week.” She _tsks_ and sounds completely dismissive, sure that her son will be able to fly back home.

Dongho snorts. “You don’t know my boss.” He mutters low enough so his mother won’t hear. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s going to be no problem,” Dongho says louder on the receiver, rubbing a hand on his face tiredly, already thinking of a way to escape home without triggering Minhyun’s mother hen tendencies that developed after the whole Akimoto issue. Besides, he knows for a fact Minhyun doesn’t usually give his employees a proper Christmas break, the workaholic asshole.

“Okay, make sure you get here on Sunday so you can help me with the farm a little to let your brother rest,” she nags while still smiling, because they both know she’s just pulling a recurring joke in the family about pushing Dongho to do a little hands on work.

The secretary smiles, and his chest is instantly filled with a comforting warmth that only a mother is able to give their child. “Alright, omma, I’ll be home in a few days to help with hal-abeoji’s farm,” he replies softly like the good boy that he is. “I miss you. Tell Junho hyung I miss him too.”

“Will do.” His mother sighs and it’s clear in her voice how much she misses her son. “Take care of yourself, Dongho-ya… Omma is always worried about you.”

“Don’t worry, omma. Everything is fine.” And he actually means it.

They say their goodbyes and Dongho finally leave the bathroom.

Now he has another battle to fight.

* * *

Last year, Dongho had to stay until 10 pm on Christmas Eve because he was asked last minute by his asshole boss to compile some important data for a meeting he was having the day after.

Yes, on Christmas Day.

Dongho had to come up with some poor excuse for his mother, telling her that he needed to save money and stay back in Seoul, when in reality he had spent almost the whole Christmas Eve locked inside the office with Minhyun breathing down his neck.

So the secretary wasn’t at all hopeful that he would manage to escape Minhyun’s workaholic grasp to go visit his family and spend some quality time with them like he deserves.

Dongho was finished with his work and the office was almost empty anyway, so he enters Minhyun’s office and makes himself comfortable on his meeting couch while waiting for Minhyun to end what seems to be an important call.

From outside the office, Minki raises a questioning eyebrow at him, and Dongho shrugs, pretending that he doesn’t feel his cheeks heat up at the suggestive look his friend is giving him through the glass walls of Minhyun’s office.

“Wear protection,” Minki mouths without making a sound and Dongho sputters loudly, effectively interrupting Minhyun’s important call, causing him to receive a murderous glare from his boss.

“Sorry,” he mutters to Minhyun, who promptly ignores him, going back to his phone call, and when Dongho looks back at Minki, the other is laughing with his head thrown back, the asshole.

Still feeling outraged, Dongho watches silently as Aron drops by his boyfriend’s cubicle and pulls a prank on him by pulling the back of his chair down while he’s still distracted laughing at Dongho’s misery. Minki shrieks in fear of falling down, but Aron didn’t pull it that far back and there’s no way the other man would let his boyfriend fall.

Still, his friend’s scream instantly interrupts everyone still working in the financial headquarters, including Minhyun from all the way inside his office.

Minhyun silently stares daggers at Minki, who, in turn, shoots a mean glare at his boyfriend who is just laughing quietly at the whole situation while covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

Dongho feels immediately vindicated, and he smiles as he witnesses Minki whacking Aron on the back of the head as the two of them leave the office side by side.

They look really comfortable with each other and he’s a little jealous, if he’s being honest with himself.

The secretary looks back at Minhyun, who seems to be finally finishing up with his appointment and starts gathering some important reports to store inside Minhyun’s briefcase so the man can read on the way back home like he usually does every night.

“Woojin is waiting,” Dongho says as soon as Minhyun hangs up.

“His name is Park,” Minhyun replies unamused, coming around his table to get the briefcase Dongho was offering him, bowing his head in thanks. “And _you_ and your friends are too loud.”

The secretary claps his hands behind his back in his usual office posture. “They could be your friends as well,” he says noncommittally.

The CFO snorts. “Pass.”

“Asshole.” Dongho smiles complacently.

“It’s the charm,” Minhyun jokes and catches the other man completely by surprise.

Dongho shakes his head and his smile broadens, looking more sincere this time. “Are you trying to flirt, sir?”

“Is it working?” Minhyun stares at him, dead serious.

Laughing this time, the secretary raises both his eyebrows. “Someone is in a good mood.”

“Maybe it’s the company?”

Blushing, Dongho looks over his shoulder to see if anyone is eavesdropping on their conversation. “Stop trying to flatter m—”

“I mean the company—Hwang Corps?” Minhyun interrupts him with a raised eyebrow, and he looks so serious Dongho almost believes him, if not for the mischievous glint in the CFO’s eyes. “It’s doing so great even my mood is better.”

Dongho doesn’t know whether to laugh that this cold man is finally feeling comfortable enough to joke around with him or cry now that the joke is at his expense.

The secretary heaves a dramatic sigh. “Why do I put up with you?”

* * *

They leave the office together and meet Woojin, who’s already outside in the private parking lot, holding the vehicle door open for them.

“Hey, Woojin. I thought you were a bodyguard, not a butler.” Dongho frowns and motions for the younger man to just leave the door to him.

“I’m part time driver as well,” Woojin deadpans while going around the car and Dongho cackles.

Looking from one employee to another in bemusement, Minhyun mutters as he passes by Dongho to enter the car. “You’re weird.”

The secretary shrugs. He’s in a good mood, Minhyun also seems to be in a good mood and even Woojin is accepting his jokes better. He feels invincible.

* * *

Dongho feels beaten. He had barely started talking to Minhyun when the other man’s mood turned sour in a heartbeat.

“Minhyun, it’s Christmas.”

“It’s a western tradition,” Minhyun counters with the usual no-nonsense tone he uses in the office when he’s scolding an employee for subpar productivity.

“More than 25% of the population is Christian and celebrate it.” Dongho can’t believe he’s spilling facts to have Minhyun let his employees have a Christmas holiday. “Myself included.”

“Well, I don’t.” Minhyun shrugs while putting on a shirt, ready to go to bed. Dongho is still standing by the other man’s bedroom door, already in his usual sweatpant-and-shirt sleeping wear.

“Stop being unreasonable.” The secretary tuts in annoyance. “It’s just a week, how bad could it be for the company?”

Something shifts in Minhyun’s expression then and Dongho unconsciously takes a step back. “Are you trying to tell me how to run my company?” He sneers.

“I’m telling you how to be a reasonable human being,” the secretary snaps back, a deep crease between his eyebrows making itself known.

“I’m still your boss.” Minhyun uses the same acid tone again, though his expression is back to its usual impassive way, and Dongho has had enough of it.

“Do you want me to tattoo that?” He laughs but it sounds cold and detached. “You seem to like that title a lot even when it’s just the two of us—”

“You’re still talking about office related issues.” Minhyun cuts him off while standing up to tower over Dongho, who’s still far from him but wishes he could go even farther when the other man gets like this. “Are you trying to use our relationship to get favors?”

Dongho feels something vicious twist inside his chest, and it’s not only anger and bitterness, but the worst, ugliest form of disappointment. He feels like a total and complete failure. How could he think this would ever work?

“You know what? _Fuck you._”

The secretary doesn’t wait around to hear any possible funny retort this time. He just leaves Minhyun’s bedroom completely, going back to his—or rather, Minhyun’s guest bedroom, and starts throwing his stuff inside his duffel bag.

Groaning furiously, he gives up halfway and throws his half-filled bag across the bed. He can’t actually leave, can he? Is he willing to put his safety in jeopardy right now to go out in the middle of the night into the freezing Seoul streets on winter? He probably is, but he’s too rational for that.

“What are you doing?” Comes Minhyun’s alarmed question from behind him, probably noticing Dongho’s half-filled bag thrown over the bed, and Dongho would be lying if he said he doesn’t feel his flesh ripping with goosebumps when he hears Minhyun speak.

“When can I go home?” Dongho asks instead of replying. He still doesn’t look back and just sits on the bed with his back facing the other man.

“When—?” Minhyun clearly sounds alarmed by Dongho’s sudden question, his impassiveness cracking. “Do you want to leave?” It must be Dongho’s wishful thinking when he hears a note of desperation in the CFO’s voice.

“This isn’t my home.” He shakes his head and with his back to Minhyun, he misses how Minhyun looks like he had just been slapped.

When Dongho finally turns around in bed to face the other man, waiting for a reply, Minhyun is closer, much closer than he expected.

“It could be,” Minhyun blurts out but stops as soon as he notices the confusion written all over the other man’s face, and the way he fidgets before continuing due to his nervousness is so unusual that Dongho can’t look away. “This could be your home if you want it to be.”

The secretary’s eyes fly open in shock and a laugh unexpectedly bubbles out of his chest, loud and wild, and he drops his face into his hands, his shoulders shaking with how much he’s laughing, although his chest continues to feel hollow.

Dongho drops his hands to his lap as his laugh dies down slowly, until there’s nothing else but silence, and he doesn’t notice how Minhyun stares at him despondently as he contemplates his own hands in his lap. “Do you realize what you just said to me before I left your room?”

Sighing, Minhyun sits on the other side of the bed, still far from Dongho. “I’m sorry.”

Dongho can hear the sincerity in Minhyun’s words, but he’s just too tired. “I’d rather if you stopped acting like this instead of giving me your apologies like it can fix everything.”

The secretary doesn’t dare to say anything more than that or else he will crack with how much Minhyun’s words actually hurt him. To think that Minhyun would say something so thoughtless over such a harmless issue, when Dongho had been nothing but a good employee, leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

And it pains him even more because, outside the office, Dongho has also been trying: trying to be more understanding, more patient, more accepting, but Minhyun really did himself in with that one. To insinuate that Dongho would ever use their unlabeled relationship to gain any kind favors, at the office or not, like he’s some kind of cheap whore—_that_ Dongho won’t accept.

“Just tell me when I can leave.” Dongho finally breaks the silence when it becomes too heavy.

“Please…” Minhyun breathes out and it sounds like he’s not used to begging at all, but here it is. And if Dongho wasn’t so stubborn, he would’ve probably liked to see that, but the secretary doesn’t turn to watch. “Dongho, please.” Minhyun tries again, a little firmer this time. “Please, stay. Don’t leave.”

Feeling his breathing get heavier and heavier as he watches Minhyun struggle with his emotions, his own chest heaving with each new word that tentatively leaves the other man’s mouth, with his mind running wild in a turmoil of emotions, Dongho has to find in himself the strength to not cave in because he has a point here, and it won’t be the other man’s begging that will change that.

“Do you think I’m doing this—this thing with you because I want something from you?” Dongho asks without looking up.

“No,” the CFO responds quickly and without any hint of hesitation. “It’s... actually the other way around.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Dongho can’t help but finally glance up at him, only to find Minhyun already looking back with what could only be described as anguish in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” The CFO repeats, continuing before Dongho can say anything, before Dongho can ask what he means by that. “I’m so sorry…” He frowns, seeming so conflicted that the secretary can’t think of looking away. “I’m so used to having people around me because they need or want something from me that it slipped and I’m sorry, I’m the one who wants something from you—your company and your stupid jokes and your lack of proper behavior—just please, I don’t actually believe you want something from me like that.”

Dongho feels all the air in his lungs disappear, leaving him completely breathless this time, because he’s imagining this.

He’s imagining Minhyun being honest with him and communicating like he means every single word he’s saying, like he’s not hiding anything from him for the first time since this whole mess started.

“Why do you keep trying to hurt me?” The secretary asks in confusion and frustration, and he’s still mad—he’s livid, but he also wants to stay because he actually wants something from the CFO, and what he wants would be much simpler to have if Minhyun himself wasn’t so difficult.

Dongho wants Minhyun. That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. Just Minhyun, without the CFO title and the house and the cars. He just wants the stupid asshole and he doesn’t know when this happened exactly, but it happened, and he can’t do anything about it now.

He can’t believe they’re finally talking about what they want from each other just because Dongho decides to pledge for the whole Financial team and ask for a rare holiday.

“I’m not trying to, I swear,” Minhyun vehemently denies. Sensing an opening, he moves closer to Dongho, crawling over the bed to sit cross-legged in front of the other man, their knees almost touching. “It’s just difficult not to expect the worst from most people.”

Dongho’s expression twists painful, distressed over the other man’s too-honest reply. “I’m not most people.”

The CFO’s body visually sags in relief, though, and he doesn’t waste another second before pulling Dongho close and hugging him tight in a comforting embrace, their bodies twisted in an uncomfortable position.

Maybe Dongho is really stupid, but when he finally unwinds his tensed body and allows himself to rest his head on Minhyun’s shoulder with his eyes closed, smelling the other man’s musky perfume that Dongho already associates with the CFO, he feels like he’s made the right choice.

“I’m still not moving in with you,” he mumbles against Minhyun’s shoulder, arranging his body so they can hug without breaking his back in the process.

“You will,” Minhyun says with confidence he doesn’t actually feel but probably still hopes to achieve anyway.

“Come to Jeju with me for Christmas,” he asks instead before he chickens out, because that was his intention all along if Minhyun would just _listen_ to him.

The CFO’s body tenses immediately, and he moves away to look at Dongho without letting go of him. His eyes are wide as saucers, and he clearly looks like he wasn’t expecting this at all.

“You want me to spend Christmas with you and your family?” While still looking startled, Minhyun asks for confirmation with a reserved tone of voice, making Dongho question himself.

Is this moving too fast? Is he pushing Minhyun too far out of his comfort zone? Is meeting his family, when they can’t even establish what they are to each other, too big of a step?

Dongho wants to give Minhyun as much space as he needs, but he just wanted to spend Christmas with the man who had basically invited him to move in with him.

Sighing, Dongho shakes his head, ready to back off, but then he doesn’t and instead stares Minhyun straight in the eyes. “Yes. Yeah, I do want that.”

“Would they even have me on such a short notice?” Minhyun immediately frowns, his hands dropping from the secretary’s waist to fidget nervously on his own lap until he crosses his fingers together to clearly make himself stop.

Dongho watches as Minhyun quickly forces himself to calm down and smiles up at him in amusement. “I’m sure they’d make do without a previous notice.”

“I have a meeting on the 24th,” the CFO blurts out, making the smile on Dongho’s mouth drop instantly.

“Oh.” It sounds like an excuse at first, but when Dongho wracks his brain, he actually remembers that Minhyun does have a conference meeting with the hand-picked team set to take over the managing of Hwang Corps’ business in Japan, after the whole Akimoto fiasco.

Minhyun clearly mistakes Dongho’s disappointment for the fact that he supposedly won't be able to go back home if Minhyun has a meeting, so he quickly tries to fix that.

“I guess you can take a few days off to go celebrate Christmas with your—”

“No, it’s okay, I’ll stay.” Dongho shakes his head and tries to smile, but it doesn’t really reach his eyes.

Minhyun frowns once again. “But I’m giving you a few days off—”

“It’s my job,” the secretary states simply, and that’s the end of it.

Or so Dongho thinks.

* * *

“Un-fucking-believable,” Minki murmurs as he smashes his fingers on his keyboard hard enough that Dongho can hear the clacking from all the way to his own workstation.

“What happened, Minki-ya?” The secretary asks in fake interest as he keeps on rescheduling a few meetings for Minhyun like the man himself had requested a few minutes ago. “Did Aron-hyung steal your cookie from your lunch box again?”

And Dongho does notice he’s basically clearing the CFO’s next week’s schedules, but he gathers his boss might have personal matters to deal with, since he was also asked to book a flight for Sujin from Busan to Seoul.

“Your fucking boyfriend, that’s what happened,” his friend replies way louder than before, making Dongho finally stop typing as he sputters loudly and hastily looks around to check if anyone else is paying attention to them. Minki continues as if he wasn’t basically exposing Dongho’s messy relationship with his boss for the whole office. “Why must he be such an asshole all the damn time? Can’t you fuck him into submission and make him give us a few days off?”

“Choi Minki!” Feeling his face flame hot red in shame, Dongho forcefully pushes himself away from his desk, sliding his chair back to get up and make the other man shut up by the force of his own hands if he has to, when he’s interrupted midway to the other cubicle as his friend scrambles to get away from Dongho’s murderous stare.

Dongho hears a cough and he instantly looks up to see Minhyun standing right there in the middle of the Financial headquarters, looking all mighty and pristine but currently sporting one raised eyebrow as he peers at his secretary, who paused with his hands reaching out to strangle his colleague into silence.

The whole office goes dead silent and both Minki and Dongho rush to go back to their seats, although Minki still mutters a quiet “asshole” in Minhyun’s direction, making Dongho cough loudly to cover for him—he’s that good of a friend.

“Good evening,” Minhyun starts, now ignoring the troublesome duo who finally shut up to pay attention to their boss. “As you all know, we handed in our annual income tax audit to NTS just last week, and this morning I received our first feedback from them regarding our numbers.” He pauses and ominously glances at all his employees before continuing. “And it seems everything is in order so far. Therefore, I’d like to congratulate you on your efforts to help make Hwang Corps a responsible, trustworthy company that knows the importance of transparency towards the organization responsible for inspecting our revenue and also our clients and associates.

As a reward for your great work, I’m granting the Financial team the week off so you can go visit your relatives and enjoy Christmas with your loved ones. I’ll be waiting for you on the 30th when we resume our activities. That’s all.”

Dongho can’t mask how he stares at the CFO in pure shock, even when the man gets closer and closer to his work station and stops right in front of him, listening to the whole floor explode in hushed conversation over their unexpected one week paid holiday but that’s all white noise at this point.

“Congratulations on a job well done, Kang,” Minhyun states impassively at the man sitting down in front of him, although his eyes are shining with mirth. “Enjoy the holiday.”

With his mouth now hanging open, unable to voice anything back, Dongho’s eyes follow his boss as he goes back inside his office, but he’s soon blocked from keeping up with his staring contest when the CFO promptly closes the blinds surrounding his office for privacy.

“Holy shit, how good of a lay are you?” Minki mutters in awe, his chair all the way back to peer at Dongho like he’s some kind of kama sutra master.

“Shut up, Minki.” Dongho feels the tip of his ears burn, but otherwise remains in shocked silence, still staring at the blocked-out CFO office.

“Scratch what I said before, I love that man, you can now bring him to our next noraebang meeting.” With that, Minki gets up from his chair, leaving his task halfway done to rush to the marketing team floor to tell Aron the good news, probably, but Dongho doesn’t care. The secretary is still trying to catch up to what just happened.

Did Minhyun just listen to him or is this the CFO’s twisted way of flexing his power?

* * *

By the end of the day, after a quick trip to Hwang Corps’ complex building coffee shop, Dongho enters Minhyun’s office even without knowing if his boss is busy considering how he had kept his blinds closed the rest of the day since his surprising announcement to the Financial team.

He finds Minhyun on the phone, so he quietly sits himself on one of the comfortable chairs in front of Minhyun’s desk and waits for the call to be over. While waiting, he places the freshly-prepared grape juice on the table in front of the other man, away from all the important papers he keeps on checking during his call.

Dongho probably waits for around fifteen minutes, with Minhyun glancing in his direction questioningly a few times, before the other man hangs up and gives him his full attention while opening the juice bottle to take a sip.

“Are you here to thank me?” He raises both eyebrows before taking a sip.

The secretary snorts. “I thought your noona called you a big head because of the actual size of your head, not because of the size of your ego.”

Minhyun chokes and almost spills the purple liquid all over his very neat suit. “God…”

“Just Dongho is fine.” The secretary crosses his arms over his chest and gets more comfortable in his chair.

“Wipe that smirk off your face,” the CFO mutters after successfully swallowing his drink, looking for a tissue to clean his mouth with, when Dongho’s outstretched arm appears in his line of vision with a tissue in hand. “So kind,” he deadpans, accepting the piece of cloth.

Dongho rests his back against his chair. “So, were you just trying to prove something to me or did you really do some thinking and understand the benefits of promoting employee happiness in the workplace?”

Minhyun finishes cleaning his mouth before responding. “You’re so insolent.”

Dongho shrugs off the slight insult. “Are you going to answer my question?”

“Why should I? You seem to have your answer already,” the CFO concludes with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I don’t want to assume anything.”

It’s now Minhyun’s turn to snort, only this time it’s accompanied by a derisive short laugh. “Don’t you now.” He states sarcastically, shaking his head. “When will you stop expecting the worst from me?”

Dongho stares unseeingly, feeling like what the other man just said was like a slap to the face. “It’s hard to when you keep fucking up.” He blurts out and regrets it immediately when Minhyun’s face closes off in a frown.

“I’m trying.” Minhyun snaps, and while he’d look severe to anyone else watching, Dongho doesn’t miss how his thoughtless words actually hurt the other man, but Minhyun continues before he can apologize. “If you’d stop thinking I’m the devil incarnate for just a second, then you’d realize I’m just a guy who’s trying to do the right thing when most of the time I have no idea what I’m doing here with you.”

Dongho winces, feeling even worse now for having spoken so carelessly. “I’m sorry,” he rushes to say, and he feels like a hypocrite after the conversation they had last night. “And I know it doesn’t erase what I just said. I don’t know why I keep doing this.” He mutters the last part to himself and groans, rubbing his face in exasperation before looking back at Minhyun earnestly. “You’re trying, we both are. I can see you’re a good person with a kind heart and I lo—” He snaps his mouth shut suddenly and his eyes go wide.

As soon as he stops talking, Dongho’s chest immediately fills up with dread, and while his whole body freezes over from his chest out, his face practically blows up in flames, instantly going fireman red from his neck to the tips of his ears. The secretary feels his heart pounding like a hammer against his ribcage to the point of it being painful, leaving him dizzy. He knew, in that moment, deep down, that he had fucked up.

_Did I really almost say I love him? What the fuck, I don’t love him!_

Dongho gets up so fast he gets a headrush and almost topples over, his chair falling back with a loud crash from the sudden movement, and Minhyun gets up with a start to help Dongho, grabbing his arm to steady him, but the secretary rips his arm away from Minhyun’s grasp, looking anywhere but at the CFO.

“Dongho—” Minhyun starts in alarm, worry written all over his face. He makes a grab for the other man’s arm but Dongho steps back away from him, and he promptly trips over the leg of the toppled over chair in the process, but he still successfully manages to remain standing, all of this only worsening his current mortification.

The secretary takes the opportunity to pick the chair off the floor so he can avoid looking at the other man for a while longer, and he hopes to god his face doesn’t look as flushed as it feels because he doesn’t need to add _that_ to his list of embarrassments tonight.

They are making such good progress by being more understanding, by giving each other time to get used to all their expectations, even with all the fighting and bickering. So how could he almost say something so important when he doesn’t mean it? How could he so carelessly almost let the L-word slip like it wouldn’t fuck everything up so spectacularly when he doesn’t love him to begin with?

During his inner monologue, he doesn’t notice when Minhyun quickly goes around his desk to approach him. “What the fuck?” The CFO crouches down and catches the other man by surprise by grabbing his arm in a strong grip, making Dongho stand back up. Minhyun doesn’t let go of his arm or relents his firm grip on it, so the secretary can’t even think of avoiding him.

When Dongho finally admits defeat and looks up at him with a sigh, he’s struck by how worried Minhyun looks as he stares back at him, a deep frown already marring his handsome face, and the crease between his eyebrows only deepens when the secretary continues to say nothing in return.

“Dongho-ya… Are you okay?” Minhyun finally lets go of his arm and tentatively touches Dongho’s face, afraid he would break otherwise, and—

No, Dongho is not okay at all. He’s far from okay.

He’s so not okay he’s about to burst a vein with how hard he’s holding himself back from having another mental breakdown, for a different reason this time.

Because, fuck—

He _is_ in love with Minhyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm finally catching up on replying to your lovely comments. thank you so much for not giving up on this mess, it means a lot to me that you're still reading this story after everything. i've been a mess bc rl is a mess atm but i'll try to do better and give you all more consistent updates, so please don't give up on me ó_ò i love reading what you think of this story and where i'm taking it. i like knowing if i'm going in the right direction so your comments are super important feedback indicators! so again, thank you so much for being such lovely, understanding people. let's see this story through together! <333333
> 
> i also can't believe it took 71k for dongho to finally realize how he really feels about minhyun and to acknowledge it LMFAO [facepalm]


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as promised, here's the update! i hope you like it <3

After his sudden realization about his feelings on Friday night, Dongho tries to act like nothing has changed. He pretends the act is for Minhyun’s benefit, who remains clueless to Dongho’s messy thoughts, when in reality, he’s basically lying to himself. Everything couldn’t be farther from normal. 

Still, they end up spending Saturday together, with Minhyun surprisingly ditching work to stay at home with the secretary and help him pack for his trip home, although the CFO still looks like he hasn’t forgotten how Dongho couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation for his minor freak out at the office on Friday.

That night, Dongho had played it cool, like it wasn’t anything serious, dismissing any attempt at conversation until Minhyun had let him off with just a doubtful stare. Dongho can’t imagine how he could have explained, right away, in the middle of CFO’s office, his out-of-the-blue realization that he’s in love with him. 

All he can say is this: that kind of conversation couldn’t ever go well.

So of course that’s all he can think of throughout the weekend. Whenever Dongho is left alone with his own thoughts for company, he catches himself imagining catastrophic scenarios involving his almost slip-up, like how the secretary could bet his very scarce possessions that Minhyun would go back to being aloof and dismiss him like he was nothing, just like what he presumably did to Jonghyun. 

And it would probably hurt like hell to get the cold shoulder after everything, even more so now that he actually knows how deep his feelings for the other man go.

Putting all that drama aside, it’s not like Dongho’s lovesick or anything. The secretary is a very reasonable guy, so of course he can compartmentalize this sudden realization to be able to separate this relationship limbo from his feelings towards Minhyun, just like he has successfully been separating their romantic relationship from their boss-employee one—even if that’s somehow doubtful, even to himself.

He snaps out of latest daydream when Minhyun enters his bedroom carrying one of his bigger suitcases so that Dongho can borrow it for his short trip. The secretary is currently sitting on the warm hardwood floor right in front of his open closet, folding the clothes he’s choosing to take home to Jeju-do. 

(Dongho had been able to go back to his own apartment a few times in the past month, with Minhyun and Woojin tagging along for safety measures, to bring over more clothes and other indispensable items. It almost does feel like this room is really his, although Dongho always rushes to correct this train of thought whenever he catches himself referring to this room or this house as his, even after Minhyun’s offer to have him move in. How could he even take such an offer seriously, anyway?)

“Do you think this is big enough?” Minhyun asks while looking extremely doubtful that the size is large enough to fit everything Dongho is thinking of packing.

The secretary bites his bottom lip to refrain from smiling too widely at the cute, confused expression overtaking the other man’s face. _So much for not feeling lovesick, huh._

“It’ll have to do.” Dongho shrugs, averting his eyes and feeling his stomach drop so fast as if he’s suddenly in a free fall from the top of the highest Seoul building. Fuck, he didn’t remember being in love felt like such a wild ride.

Minhyun nods, crouching in front of Dongho to zip the suitcase open for him, and the CFO seizes the occasion to sneakily steal a kiss from the otherwise distracted secretary before getting up to go inside the closet to get the rest of Dongho’s clothes. 

Refusing to raise his head because he just _knows_ how obviously embarrassed his expression must be, Dongho takes the opportunity that he’s alone again, even if just for a second, to possibly suffocate himself with the clothes he’s currently folding. He feels like screaming.

“Dongho. Dongho! Dong—What’s up with you?” Minhyun sits down in front of him after kicking him lightly on the knee to catch his attention, and he quickly starts to fold Dongho’s boxers for him before the secretary finally notices what he’s doing and scrambles to snatch the intimate clothing from the CFO’s hands. The secretary’s face heats up even more, if that’s possible, making Minhyun chuckle in amusement. “Really, what’s going on? You seem out of it.”

“It’s nothing,” he murmurs, shoving the barely-folded underwear inside his suitcase, only for Minhyun to take it out and fold it properly for him, like they’ve been doing things like these their whole lives.

“You’re cute when you blush,” Minhyun states simply, finally making Dongho raise his eyes to peer at Minhyun who’s now giving him a small smile.

“Why are you being like this?” The secretary blurts out, trying not to regret the question when the smile on Minhyun’s lips is overtaken by a confused frown, and Dongho makes himself look away. 

The CFO is quiet for a moment, apparently gathering his thoughts, then finally puts the folded underwear inside Dongho’s suitcase. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you acting like this is—” Dongho snaps his mouth shut at that because he isn’t really willing to go there right now. He doesn’t think they can really talk about their relationship status when he can’t even confront his own feelings yet. “Never mind.”

Minhyun sighs. “I thought this was what you wanted.” He stops folding Dongho clothes and drops his hands, resting them on the space between his crossed legs as he continues to stare at the other man who continues to haphazardly pack his suitcase.

Dongho feels his skin burn with the intensity of Minhyun’s stare and he really tries to ignore it to finish his current task so he can enjoy the rest of his Saturday, but he guesses he’s not strong enough to ignore Minhyun when the other man’s intense focus is solely on him like this.

“It was—is. It is. Fuck—” He starts laughing although nothing seems to be funny; not the messy room, not his messy feelings, and definitely not the complicated meaning behind the look Minhyun is giving him right now. “I really don’t know why I keep trying to fuck this up.”

Clearly remembering their conversation last night, Minhyun raises an eyebrow. “Are you going to freak out now?” He sounds like he’s about to do something if Dongho even considers trying to run away. “That’s what happened last night, wasn’t it? You freaked out because you thought you had fucked up?”

Dongho can’t believe Minhyun is really giving him an out this easily. 

“Yeah. I guess so,” he mutters in response, folding his knees up and resting his arms over them.

“It’s okay, Dongho.” The CFO risks a comforting smile and Dongho feels his heart soaring inside his chest, pounding so hard like it’s trying to tear his skin to reach out desperately to Minhyun to complete itself, and Dongho is fucked, he’s so fucked, because Minhyun’s reassuring speech doesn’t stop there, and it makes everything so much worse when he continues. “I fuck up all the time. We’re giving this a try, right? I’m not going anywhere any time soon.”

And now how the fuck will Dongho fix this shit?

He’s never been so eager for his trip back home for Christmas as he is now (even if deep down, he’ll miss Minhyun too much.)

* * *

Dongho can’t believe he was able to snatch one of the last plane tickets to Jeju-do available at this time of the year, considering how last-minute his purchase was. He’s so happy he doesn’t even mind the new hole the ticket price rips in his pocket. Dongho can’t wait to see his mom and his hyung again.

Minhyun insists on taking him to the airport with Woojin in tow, and Dongho thinks that the CFO in casual clothes is such a sight to see that he almost regrets leaving the other man behind for the next few days. It’s impossible for the secretary not to feel distracted when Minhyun is comfortably wearing an oversized grey tartan wool coat over a simple, black, long-sleeved shirt complete with dark colored jeans and black converse sneakers. 

Dongho, on the other hand, is wearing a beige colored cashmere sweater under a black leather shearling flight jacket he borrowed from Minhyun, who insisted the secretary take it after Dongho told his boss he wanted to impress his mom so she would stop worrying about him being ‘all alone in big Seoul’ (her words, not his). He’s also wearing a pair of trendy black track pants and dress shoes. 

Who would’ve thought he’d ever be caught wearing more stylish clothes than the Hwang Minhyun? 

Woojin stays behind in the airport lobby, discreetly giving them privacy while looking around, paying attention to any possible threat to both businessmen who are currently distracted by trying not to make heart eyes to each other in public (neither would ever admit that that’s how they usually look at each other, but anyone who stays more than a minute around them will vehemently say otherwise).

“Are you sure you can’t come?” Dongho tries one last time, even if he truly believes these few days apart will do himself good and give him time to think about everything. 

Surprisingly, Minhyun looks apologetic when he shakes his head. “I really do have a meeting on the 24th.” He suddenly looks at Woojin from the corner of his eye. “Are you sure Park can’t come with you?”

Dongho laughs good-naturedly. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to spend Christmas with me.” He squeezes Minhyun’s arm reassuringly. “It’s gonna be fine, it’s just for a few days. No one will find me all the way in Jeju in a small tangerine farm, Minhyun. Relax.”

“Alright…” Minhyun finally agrees, although he doesn’t seem happy to let Dongho out of his sight even for a few days. “You’re boarding soon, you better go.”

The secretary nods but he suddenly looks uncertain, debating if voicing out what he’s currently thinking will make his feelings too obvious to the other man. 

Well, fuck it. He’s already screwed anyway. 

“I’m going to miss you.”

The CFO looks immediately startled. Complete and utter shock takes over his expression and Dongho is glad that, lately (and he doesn’t know when that changed exactly), he has been able to rip so many sincere emotions from the usually cold man.

“I’m… going to miss you too,” Minhyun breathes out like a confession, and the lost, troubled look in his eyes makes Dongho wonder.

_Maybe?_

* * *

“Holy shit, you really came!” Junho, Dongho’s hyung, exclaims and promptly gets smacked upside the head by their mother who quickly gets up to greet her younger son at her doorsteps.

“Dongho!” His mom rushes to get him while the secretary quickly steps out of his shoes before he’s tackled by the tiny woman, almost toppling over by the sheer force of his mother’s body crashing into him as she pulls him into a tight hug.

“Whoa!” Dongho laughs quietly, planting his feet more firmly on the ground to hold both their weights combined. “It almost sounds like you haven’t seen me in a year, omma.”

His mother steps out of the hug only to smack him, making Dongho flinch in fake fear. “It’s _been_ a year.” She snaps, before quickly going back to hugging her son.

Looking over her shoulder, Dongho glances at his brother standing in the middle of the small living room of their childhood home, grinning widely at his dongsaeng being crushed by their mother. 

“Did you get shorter, hyung?”

“Fuck you,” Junho replies without missing a beat, his grin still overtaking his face. 

“You two won’t get dinner if you keep this up.” Their mother finally steps back from the hug, glaring at her sons in turn, but her eyes ultimately stop on Junho. “And you. Don’t make me shove a tangerine down your throat. You know the rules, no swearing in this house.”

“Yes,” Both Dongho and Junho say in unison, looking at each other with different levels of wickedness. 

God, he missed home. 

* * *

Dongho spends the next day helping his mom and hyung around their family tangerine farm, and the secretary clearly forgot how cold it could get during winter in the narrow corridor created by endless rows of trees, because his balls have basically crawled back inside his body by the time they finally go inside to have lunch. 

But it’s good. It’s brilliant, even, to be doing manual labor again for a change, to be so hands-on for a task that he doesn’t have time to think of anything but pick up one tangerine after another from the snow-painted trees. 

Minhyun does cross his mind a few times, and the secretary can’t help but think Minhyun will probably be spending Christmas alone, all because he’s (most certainly) trying to impress his father by working himself to the bone. 

And, honestly, even if he missed his family so much and is glad to be spending some well-deserved time with them, Dongho still wishes Minhyun was here.

“Earth to Dongho.” His mother waves a hand in front of his face, snapping Dongho out of his latest daydream, making him blush a little for having been caught deep in thought. “You seem distracted. Is there anything bothering you?” 

The secretary smiles as he watches his mother peel a few tangerines for a pie she’s preparing, and Dongho is already salivating at the thought of eating his mom’s homemade food again.

“Everything is fine, omma.” Dongho steals a tangerine bud, popping the sweet juicy fruit inside his mouth and his mother readily slaps him on the shoulder.

“If you’re going to be here stealing my food, you better help. Go check the oven and then come back here to prepare the meringue for your old and tired omma.”

“Yes.” Sniggering at his mother’s antics, Dongho does as told and quickly comes back to take over the meringue preparation. 

His mother sighs, her eyes following her son’s movements in her kitchen, and it’s a really nostalgic moment because Dongho has been helping her cook since he was a little kid.

“You’ve grown up so much.”

“Omma,” The secretary chuckles, focused on separating the egg yolks from the whites, his eyes trained on his current task. “It’s only been a year.”

“No, baby,” his mom corrects in a loving tone. “You’ve really grown into a man. I’m so proud of you.” 

Dongho chances a look at her and almost drops the finely-separated egg whites on the floor when he catches his mother’s wet eyes. “Omma…” he murmurs helplessly. 

She _tsks_, waving him off before going back to peeling tangerines for the pie. “Tell me how Seoul has been treating you. How is Minki?”

“Uh—” he stutters, still a little speechless over his mother’s unexpected reaction. She’s always been emotional, but definitely not like this. “He’s still a complete 4D. He demanded I send back a box of tangerines.” Dongho snorts, back to focusing on preparing the meringue. “And Seoul is fine, omma, don’t worry.”

“You seem different, though.” She finishes peeling the fruit and starts separating the buds while Dongho uses a whisk to beat the egg whites.

The secretary’s nape heats up after his mother’s observation, and he’s lucky she isn’t paying close attention to him right now. “What do you mean?”

“You’re more sure of yourself. More carefree.” She shrugs and finally looks up at him, while her deft fingers continue doing her task. “You look happy.”

Dongho feels something inside his chest bloom inexplicably, and he tries to hold back a smile threatening to overtake his features. “I _am_ happy.”

Surprisingly, his mother knowingly smiles back at him. “That’s all I ever hoped for you.”

* * *

Dongho’s late grandfather’s farm isn’t big by any means, though its harvest is admittedly one of the best in Jeju-do. Many people travel to the island in search of tangerine farms just like the one his mother now manages, so aside from handling the usual production, his mother also deals with tourists from all over Korea.

This time of the year, though, during the off season, when it’s too cold that there’s barely any tourists and the harvest is slower due to the snow flocking the tree branches, the seemingly-endless narrow pathways between rows of bushes become eerily quiet as the sun sets and only the wind can be heard. Anyone else would find the scenery daunting, but Dongho loves it, he grew up around it, and the sense of nostalgia he gets as he walks among the trees back towards his mom’s house, dragging along a huge basket full of tangerines, makes him feel right at home, as if nothing has changed.

That’s why he doesn’t get scared when he hears footsteps behind him.

“Haven’t your balls frozen over?”

Unbothered, he looks over his shoulder to peer at his brother who’s currently wearing a padding on top of multiple layers clothes along with a beanie. “They crawled back inside my body. I can’t feel them anymore.” He shrugs.

Junho cackles and catches up to his brother to walk alongside him. “You’re still such a dumb fuck, it’s like you were never gone.”

Dongho smiles, although it’s hidden under a face mask he wasn’t stupid enough to forget to wear unlike his hyung. “And you’re still the one who always forgets to wear a mask. Your lips are blue.”

His brother promptly rubs a gloved hand over his lips and nose to warm them over. “I don’t know how you handle the winter in Seoul. Everyone says it’s even worse than this.” He shudders involuntarily and Dongho isn’t sure if it’s due to the actual cold or from his vivid imagination.

“I got used to it.”

They go together to the small warehouse where they separate the fruits together in comfortable silence and leave everything neat as their mother would’ve liked. 

“I don’t know why, but I thought you were going to bring your boyfriend over for Christmas.” His brother says as they leave the warehouse, making Dongho stop short in his tracks.

“My—_what_?” He stutters, and he is definitely not proud of how his voice gets a little high, but how the fuck does his brother even know that?!

Junho looks back at him with a frown and stops walking as well. “Yeah… What’s his name again? Jonghyun? It’s Jonghyun, right?” 

“Jonghy—” A surprised laugh bubbles out of his chest and Dongho ends up giggling out of his own mortification, although his body sags with relief over not being found out. “Jonghyun is not my boyfriend, he’s a coworker—a higher rank than me, but a colleague, yeah. And a friend.” He adds up quickly.

“A higher rank?” His brother’s frown deepens even more. “How the fuck did you manage to convince him to come and pay for omma’s hospital bills?”

Dongho hesitates but he doesn’t want to keep lying to his family, at least not to his brother. “That might have been my boss’ doing,” he starts tentatively.

“Your boss?” Junho shakes his head and lightly pushes Dongho by the chest, maneuvering him to walk back into the warmer warehouse, closing the door behind him. “Okay, explain.”

The secretary starts to fidget. He doesn’t fidget even in front of Minhyun, but his hyung’s stern expression is enough to send him back to high school and the way he used to get scolded by his brother for not helping their mother enough at the farm.

“Uh—” Dongho sighs and gives in. He owes his brother the truth. “Alright, so… Minhyun—My boss might’ve heard our conversation when you called me to let me know omma was at the hospital?”

“_‘Might have’_?”

Dongho winces. “Most definitely?”

“Dongho.” And that’s _most definitely_ his brother’s warning voice.

“Alright!” The younger guy places a placating hand in front of himself. “He heard our conversation and wanted to help, so he asked Jonghyun to take care of it because we were on a trip abroad.”

“A trip abroad?! Dongho, _what kind of job_—”

“Fuck _off_!” He glares and punches his brother hard on the shoulder for trying to insinuate that his job is less than wholesome, although he knows his cheeks are warm with embarrassment and that he’s one step away from blushing.

“Okay, okay! Sorry!” Junho rubs his arm where Dongho hit him, his mouth turned downward in a sad frown. “Jesus, tone down with the gym time!”

Dongho huffs. Suddenly he doesn’t feel as cold when embarrassment and mortification overtake his whole being, warming up his body. “I’m surrounded by assholes.”

“Hey, I’m still your hyung!” Is his brother’s offended yell.

Dongho is sure he has heard that before. “Still an asshole.”

“Then does that make you the little asshole since you’re my little brother?”

“Fuck you.”

* * *

“Dongho-ya, can you get the door?” Dongho’s mother yells from the kitchen. “It’s probably your aunt! Lunch is almost ready!”

“Yes…” The secretary drags out the word, grumbling as he has to get up from the couch to open the door. His body is sore from all the manual labor he’d been doing since he got to Jeju, and even if he still tries to work out on a daily basis, it’s nothing compared to actual hands-on work. Not that he’s complaining, deep down he misses this simple life where his problems revolve around finishing his tasks early so he can go back to his room and play video games.

Junho is currently out with the beaten-up family car, having to leave in a hurry to pick up something for Christmas dinner due to their mom’s request, so it’s only his mom and him at home right now. 

He opens the door, ready to greet his aunt and his little cousin (groaning mentally at the thought of having to pick her up when he can barely pick himself up—his back hurts too much), when suddenly his heart starts beating so fast that it’s about to run off of his chest.

“What are you doing here?” The secretary breathes out, clearly winded by the sudden turn of events. 

“I thought you invited me?” Minhyun replies, smiling with an obvious hint of nervousness. 

“Don’t you have an important meeti—” Dongho tries again, confused, but Minhyun interrupts him. 

Looking earnest, Minhyun steps closer to him, almost cornering Dongho in his own house if it wasn’t for, well, the whole open room. The shorter man’s feet feel glued to the floor, though, and he’s forced to look up at Minhyun from such a close proximity.

“The house feels too big and too empty without you there,” Minhyun starts, his voice low and sincere. “I missed you too much.”

And he was doing fine. Dongho was doing great having a few days away from Minhyun and all the shit that came along with the other man, his own feelings for starters, so Minhyun has no business being here and messing everything up—but god, who cares? Dongho missed him too. 

Looking at Minhyun, standing on the front porch of his family’s house, makes Dongho feel like he’s in the kind of dream he doesn’t want to wake up from. 

Before Minhyun decides to vomit any other surprising yet sweet confession, Dongho takes matters into his own hands—and by the collar of Minhyun’s suit jacket. He brings him closer by his clothes, fitting their mouths together in a soft kiss, and the secretary can’t hold back the relieved sigh that leaves his body as he finally has Minhyun closer, right where he always wants him to be.

“Thanks for coming,” Dongho murmurs against his mouth, and he feels more than sees Minhyun smiling against his lips. 

“Dongho, who is it?” His mother’s voice startles him into stepping back and Minhyun looks surprised while his cheeks blush a deep red over almost getting caught in a somewhat compromising position. “Isn’t it your aunt and Jungmin?”

“N-no, it’s—” the secretary stutters as his mother suddenly appears behind him, and he’s still holding the door slightly ajar with his other hand held out like a shield. 

“Oh.” His mom’s eyes widen as she looks Minhyun up and down, shamelessly and blatantly staring at the tall man. “I thought you said your boyfriend couldn’t make it.”

Dongho blushes furiously and refuses to meet Minhyun’s eyes. “I told you, he’s not my boyfriend, omma—”

“Well, I’m still glad you could make it, dear.” She smiles warmly in Minhyun’s direction, basically ignoring her son. “Nice to finally meet you, Jonghyun.”

The smile freezes on Minhyun’s face and he looks at Dongho in askance. 

Sputtering, Dongho tries to salvage the already messy situation. At the same time, Dongho worries his mom won’t understand who Minhyun is, since they don’t have any kind of label for their relationship, and also worries that Minhyun will be offended over being mistaken for Jonghyun. 

Most importantly, the secretary is concerned if Minhyun will be upset that Jonghyun of all people is known as his boyfriend among his family. He’s concerned if Minhyun would be wondering how the fuck that happened.

“Omma, what are you saying—? He’s not Jonghyun!” He whines and almost decides to close the door on Minhyun’s face just so he can put some distance between his mother and his— _something_, but he’s not crazy. That would’ve gone spectacularly bad— worse than how the situation already is. 

This is all Junho’s fault, that _asshole_. He’s sure his brother presumed Jonghyun was his boyfriend, considering their little chat the night before, and spread the gossip to his mom who’s now _fucking everything up_.

Once again, his mother forces him out of his whirlwind of thoughts. “Then who’s this?” She asks confusedly and Dongho almost pities her. 

Before Dongho can reply, Minhyun answers for him, his voice commanding but still managing to sound very warm and polite. “The actual boyfriend.”

Dongho almost breaks his neck when his head snaps to stare dumbfoundedly at Minhyun, his mouth hanging slightly open in obvious surprise. 

The _what_ now?

* * *

Dongho doesn’t have time to question Minhyun about that unexpected statement (because it’s clear the CFO is out of his mind—where did that come from?!) because his aunt and cousin arrive, and Dongho’s mom isn’t even finished beaming up at Minhyun while still at her doorstep.

“Are we having an impromptu family reunion on the front door, unnie?” Dongho’s aunt asks from behind them, catching their attention with a dubious smile on her face as she looks from her older sister to the tall handsome man blocking the way to the inside of her sister’s house. Right behind her, trying to hide herself behind her mom’s legs while simultaneously trying to peek at the grown-ups, is Dongho’s five-year-old cousin, Jungmin.

“Jungminie!” Dongho beams and his cousin finally snaps out of her shyness, running in the direction of her strong cousin who catches her before she crashes against his legs, lifting her up in the air and twirling her around as she giggles loudly and happily.

Minhyun stares at the heartwarming scene unfolding in front of him, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, but he’s soon interrupted by Dongho’s aunt stopping in front of him with the same confused smile on her lips. 

“I’m Eunkyung, Dongho’s cousin and also Sunyoung unnie’s much younger and much more beautiful sister. And you are?”

The CFO blinks a few times as he tries to ignore how he’s suddenly feeling so nervous about meeting a few countryside people, something he’d never feel anxious about otherwise. “I’m Hwang Minhyun, Dongho’s boyfriend.” He bows respectfully and completely misses how Eunkyung’s smile drops and is replaced by a shocked expression, her eyebrows shooting up to her hairline while Dongho sputters as he sits his cousin on his shoulders.

“Did I hear right? Did Dongho-ya finally bring someone home, unnie?” She turns to her sister, who had previously rolled her eyes at her younger sister’s antics but is now just smiling at Minhyun as if seeing him in a new light as the tall man unexpectedly blushes at all the attention he’s receiving.

“I think you did…” Dongho’s mother shakes her head with a laugh and pats Minhyun on the shoulder, finally ushering him inside the house, all of them rushing to take off their shoes at once in the cramped entryway. “Dongho, dear, come help me in the kitchen. You too, Eunkyung. I’m sure Minhyun-gun can take care of Jungmin while we finish lunch, right?”

Minhyun looks startled and glances at Dongho for help but ends up catching sight of Jungmin who had been staring fixedly at the CFO since she was sitting on Dongho’s shoulders, as if mesmerized by the tall and handsome man. He gulps nervously and doesn’t see how Dongho peers up at his little cousin with an amused expression.

“Mom, they don’t even know each other—” Dongho tries as his aunt and mother are already walking towards the kitchen.

“Nonsense. It’s just going to be for a few minutes.” Eunkyung waves him off and Dongho shrugs, looking only slightly apologetic as he drops his cousin on Minhyun’s arms.

“Sorry, I tried. But it’s going to be fine, she’s a nice kid.” He smiles at Minhyun and then chuckles at how the CFO’s currently holding the child with the utmost care as if she’s going to break, while Jungmin herself can’t seem to stop staring up at Minhyun almost unblinkingly. “Look. She already likes you.” He ruffles Jungmin’s short hair and heads in the direction of the kitchen.

Minhyun sighs and drops his backpack on the floor, following Dongho inside but stopping by the small yet cozy living room. “I guess it’s just the two of us, huh?” He smiles down at Jungmin, who promptly blushes a bright red, hiding her fluffy cheeks against Minhyun’s firm chest, making him laugh quietly.

The CFO doesn’t notice how Dongho stares at them from inside the kitchen with a warm smile on his face. 

* * *

Half an hour later, when Dongho comes back to finish setting the table, he’s stopped by his aunt, who was told to help him, with a firm hand on his chest. He looks at her in confusion and sees how she’s motioning for him to be quiet and he quickly understands what she means.

Minhyun is currently sitting slightly slumped on the rug placed between both couches on the floor, with his head resting back against the couch seating. Except he’s still holding Jungmin tightly against his chest as she sleeps peacefully and comfortably, as if she’s used to being around Minhyun all her life.

From his position, Dongho can’t really confirm, but it looks like Minhyun is sleeping as well. 

The secretary feels something suddenly bloom inside his chest, and he recognizes this feeling now—this feeling of being abruptly enraptured by Minhyun, because it’s not the first time he’s been bewitched by the other man’s unexpected actions, and this time Dongho doesn’t even notice how he can barely contain the smile slowly overtaking his expression and how he’s become used to the way his blood rushes through his whole body with each intense heartbeat knocking on his ribcage.

“Wow, someone is in love.” 

Dongho almost drops the silverware he’s holding as he tries to shush his aunt. “Shh! _He might hear you._” He whispers loudly and frantically.

“What, he doesn’t know?” She blinks innocently and Dongho doesn’t buy it for a second. Sometimes it’s weird to have an aunt who’s so many years younger than his mom that she could pass off as his older sister. 

“It’s… complicated,” he murmurs as he finally continues on towards the table, placing the silverware carefully as to not wake the other two.

“What’s so complicated about it? He’s your boyfriend—which, I have to say, what kind of luck, Dongho-ya. Honestly.” Eunkyung peers at Minhyun sleeping on the floor with her daughter and a smile tugs on her face. “You better take good care of him or I might try to steal him—”

“Pull your claws back in, imo.” Dongho cuts her off icily.

Eunkyung looks back at him with a surprised expression, the smile dropping from her face as her eyebrows shoot up in shock. “You’re really serious about him, huh? You know how I hate it when you call me that,” she murmurs, careful not to wake the other two as well.

The secretary blinks a few times, as if coming out of a daze, and shakes his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

“That’s called being jealous, Dongho-ya.” She _tsks_ as she finishes setting up the table right when his mother comes in, juggling a bunch of plates with the expertise of a professional waitress. 

Dongho and Eunkyung quickly help her finish bringing the many dishes she prepared, and, by then, they notice that Minhyun has woken up and is currently playing quietly with Jungmin sitting between his crossed legs on the floor while the kid keeps on stealing glances up at him as if she was enamored. 

“Where’s Junho, by the way?” Eunkyung asks and Dongho looks back at her and away from the heartwarming scene, a deer-caught-in-headlights expression on his face, making his aunt cackle. Thankfully she doesn’t say anything about his lovesick expression. 

“He was supposed to be back already—” Dongho’s interrupted by the front door opening and by Junho coming in, startling everyone especially Minhyun who’s still sitting on the floor with Jungmin. 

“Hello, family—and stranger!” Junho completes as soon as he catches sight of Minhyun sitting in the middle of the living room floor. “Uh, who’s this?” He asks his family with an awkward smile as he takes off his padding, and he barely has time to crouch down to catch his cousin who comes running and squealing in his direction.

In the meantime, Minhyun stands up and dusts the imaginary dirt off his pants. “Nice to meet you, I’m Hwang Minhyun—”

“The boyfriend!” Eunkyung cheerfully chimes in all the way from the kitchen where she had previously run off to get the drinks. 

“The _actual_ boyfriend.” Their mother completes with an amused glint in her eyes and Minhyun and Dongho both can’t hide their blushing faces.

“Boyfriend?!” Junho looks a little lost and chances a look at Dongho, until the name finally sinks in. “Wait, is he the Minhyun you were talking about yesterday?” He asks while putting Jungmin on the floor and she quickly goes back to Minhyun’s side, who promptly picks her up as if on automatic. “Isn’t he your bo—”

“Bo_yfriend_, yes!” Dongho quickly shuts him up with a pleading expression, trying to motion for him to be quiet about it while looking from Minhyun’s sudden rigid back to his mother’s suspicious eyes. 

But Junho apparently doesn’t get Dongho’s desperation. “Are you dating your—”

“Hyung! A word, please? Upstairs?” The secretary doesn’t care anymore that his mother is now looking suspiciously at both her sons.

Dumbfounded, Junho nods, and he’s practically dragged upstairs and inside Dongho’s old bedroom by Dongho himself. “Hyung, please, omma doesn’t know he’s my boss yet!” He hisses, cutting straight to the point.

“Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?!” Junho snaps back annoyedly after he closes the door behind him. 

“Because I didn’t know we were dating yet!” Dongho blurts out and regrets it immediately because his brother’s eyes turn to slits. 

“So, what? You two were just fucking around until today?” The secretary’s brother says between gritted teeth, until he realizes that something in Dongho’s discourse doesn’t make sense. “What do you mean you didn’t know you were dating yesterday?”

Sighing, Dongho sits down on his bed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Alright, listen. I’m not a kid anymore and I don’t need you lecturing me on this,” he starts defensively, looking up at his hyung in apprehension to see him crossing his arms with a raised eyebrow. “Things happened and we were getting to know each other, but we didn’t want to put a label on it yet?” Dongho continues, sounding a little doubtful even to his own ears, because that’s not what he was just thinking about regarding their relationship up until this morning. He feels like a hypocrite. He sighs again. “It’s complicated. I don’t want to get into details, but please, don’t tell omma any of this yet… I need to figure this out before I really tell anyone about it.”

Junho stays silent as he observes his younger brother looking defeated while talking about his boyfriend, and it doesn’t help his mistrust towards the man downstairs, but this is his brother and he’s going to support him no matter what. 

He sits down besides Dongho on the bed, draping an arm over his shoulders in a sideways hug. “Alright, I won’t question you anymore. I just worry about you, so let me know if you ever need me to kick him in the ass, okay?”

Snorting, Dongho shakes his head. “I can do that myself and you know it.”

“Still.” Junho smiles softly, squeezing his brother’s shoulders before letting him go. “Just… be careful.” His smile drops a little as he continues, making Dongho look at him in the eye. “This guy probably comes from big money and these people have different expectations in life compared to us. We just want to have a stable job and a stable life to be able to take care of the people we love, but these people only care about money and power.”

“I know…” Dongho sighs, his shoulders slumping once again. “I just feel like Minhyun is different. I don’t know why because most of the time he’s an asshole, but I… can’t help but trust him. Even if I end up hurting myself in the end.”

“That’s what I don’t want to happen. So just be careful, that’s all I’m asking. Try not to trust him blindly.”

Dongho hesitates as he stares at his hyung in the eyes before nodding once. “Alright, but promise me you won’t tell omma about any of this.”

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unfortunately, i have two bad news to share:  
1) this story is getting closer to the end :'(  
2) this chapter was the last finished one i had D: chapter 16 is underway and hopefully i'll have it done in two weeks. if not, then i'm sad to say the update will be delayed again (sigh) but please, bear with me! 
> 
> as we are getting closer to the end, i realized i got too attached to twa so it's hard for me to let it go... come sunday, it's also my last week on vacation so it'll be harder to find time to write again (usually, i do it on weekends but, as i've mentioned on my twitter account, i'll probably be moving soon so idk how that will work out). 
> 
> i'm always extremely thankful to you all, for all the kudos and comments you leave on this story. i hold every single one of you very close to my heart. you made this first experience in writing fanfiction in a different language infinitely special for me. thank you so much for always supporting me and this story, and for always being so understanding about the updates. see you in two weeks!

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is more than welcome and comments and kudos are much appreciated. <3


End file.
